


Don’t Mess With Time

by Hester_Of_Ravenswood



Series: Next Generation SGE [1]
Category: The School for Good and Evil - Soman Chainani
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-09
Updated: 2019-06-09
Packaged: 2020-02-28 07:17:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 47
Words: 96,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18751639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hester_Of_Ravenswood/pseuds/Hester_Of_Ravenswood
Summary: The next generation of School for Good and Evil kids are sent back in time to make sure their parents fall in love and have them.





	1. Chapter 1

Hester glared out the window of their incredibly large house.

 

"Knew we shouldn't have given that troll the spell," she muttered to her wife.

 

Anadil rolled her eyes, having heard this several times in the past few minutes.

 

"Hes, nothing's even happened yet. You're being over protective."

 

The demon tattoo twitched on Hester's neck as she glowered out at Hilda and Amber.

 

"But every time Hilda sees her she just... I recognize that look, Ani."

 

"From where?" Anadil asked as she helped pack Hilda's suitcase. They were supposed to leave for the School in about a week and Anadil knew better than to let mini Hester pack on her own.

 

"From how you look at me," Hester said with a smirk.

 

Anadil rolled her eyes.

 

"If I remember correctly, you asked me out first," Anadil said.

 

"Yeah, after you kissed me."

 

Anadil waved a hand as if to say that particular detail was of no importance.

 

Hester rolled her eyes.

 

"Plus, she isn't even here. Why are you all worked up?" Anadil asked.

 

"Because that's our little girl out there!" Hester snapped, demon glaring at her wife along with her.

 

"Hester, she's fourteen now. She isn't a baby."

 

Hester just let out a sigh of frustration.

 

"That girl's just got too much of her mothers in her."

 

Anadil chuckled. The same could be said for Amber.

 

The two girls sat outside, talking a bit excitedly about their classes that were supposed to start next week.

 

The first was Hilda. She was a bit taller than average (something she'd gotten from Hester) with devious bright red eyes, green streaks in her white hair, and a matching green demon tattoo sat on her neck, its tail trailing along her neck until it ended at her collarbone, and she was ghostly pale, only slightly more tan than an albino. She was a perfect mix of her two mothers (though in appearance she leaned significantly more toward Anadil and in personality she veered more toward Hester).

 

The second girl was Amber. She had dark black hair and was about average height with dark black eyes. Three white mice scuttled across her tunic, occasionally peeking out and looking around. Though she resembled Hester much more than Anadil, she was always more like her albino mother's personality, just the opposite of her twin sister.

 

Hester shook her head.

 

They were growing up so fast...

 

~

 

Tedros looked out at his eldest fondly as a sword flashed through the air.

 

His child was just the swordsman he himself was, taking down guard after guard effortlessly with Excalibur in hand.

 

Tedros hadn't let Excalibur be touched by anyone but himself and Agatha in years... but he'd decided it was time as school was coming up so soon.

 

As his eldest disarmed the last guard, they triumphantly threw off their helmet.

 

Theresa shook out silky blond hair, running a hand through to settle it. Her hair went about to halfway down her cheeks and paired well with her pristine blue eyes. She had tan skin just like her father's and had a surprisingly muscular (and tall, even for a boy) form that made boys from both Schools drool. The only thing that ruined her Princess appearance was the sword and chain mail armor. Though Theresa was more like her father, she had the same capability to defy all expectations of women just as her mother.

 

Tedros knew that a father wasn't supposed to have a favorite child... but Theresa was his spitting image in almost every way... except for the fact that she had a bit of her mother's sarcasm and intelligence.

 

But Tedros knew he wasn't the only parent that had a favorite child.

 

He looked over to the side, catching sight of his son, Axel.

 

He had an ugly, balding cat in his lap that just so happened to be Reaper's son.

 

Axel was abnormally short, his sister actually towering three to four inches taller than him, and had short jet-black hair. He had that same glint in his dark brown eyes that his mother did. Despite his lackluster height, he somehow still managed to look gangly and awkward with his small stature. He was thee second born, having come a little over a year after Theresa.

 

Axel was more like his mother. He was witty and a bit of a book worm. Despite his literal years of training from the best swordsmen in the Endless Woods, he could barely wield one without cuting his own arm off. He preferred magic and couldn't wait to get his finger glow unlocked when he got to school so he could finally preform all those spells his mother had told him about.

 

Tedros saw Theresa saunter up, looking exactly as smug as his younger self had been when he had won such sword fights.

 

Theresa handed the sword back to her father, but not before marveling at the blade for a solid minute.

 

Tedros glanced at his son, nose buried in his book.

 

He'd offered Axel the chance to use Excalibur, but he'd adamantly refused.

 

The two of them knew how things ended when he touched a blade.

 

Tedros shook his head and turned back to his eldest.

 

"And that's why the School for Good is going to let you be in the swordsmanship class," He said proudly.

 

Theresa beamed at him, looking incredibly excited.

 

They'd been at war against the school (not literally, of course) for the past few months, trying to get an exception.

 

It had been Evil's Dean that had finally convinced the School to allow it.

 

It never hurt to have a sister-in-law working at the School... except when Sophie was exceedingly annoying.

 

He heard footsteps and turned to see his wife making her way out of the castle.

 

"They're going to get here soon," Agatha said, smiling at her kids.

 

"Mom! Did you see that?" Theresa asked, thrusting Excalibur around proudly in front of her mother.

 

Agatha gave her a smile.

 

"It was very impressive. Now come on, they're going to be here soon."

 

Theresa's eyes lit up with excitement.

 

"Calm down, Ther. They come over all the time," Agatha said, laughing at her child's excitement.

 

"Don't you see them everyday?" Tedros asked.

 

Theresa rolled her eyes at her parents.

 

"But they never get to come to the castle anymore!"

 

Axel laughed at his sister and she rolled her eyes.

 

~

 

"C'mon, Dot!" Hester barked, waiting outside the large house.

 

Despite Hester and Anadil's marriage (and Dot's as well), the Coven had refused to move apart. Old habits died hard... or if you were as stubborn as the witches they didn't die at all.

 

"I'm coming!" Dot called from inside the house.

 

"If you aren't out here in the next ten seconds I'm sending my demon to throw your ugly arse out!" Hester yelled.

 

Anadil slapped Hester on the arm and pointed at their twins.

 

"Don't speak like that in front of the kids!" she chided.

 

Hester sighed and nodded.

 

Amber and Hilda snickered at their mother's expense.

 

"You're so whipped," Hilda said.

 

Hester had to physically restrain herself from pointing out just how whipped Hilda was when it came to her crush.

 

"Aw, c'mon, Ma. I've heard worse," Amber said to Anadil.

 

The albino kept glaring at Hester until the tattooed witch sighed dramatically and turned to her daughters.

 

"Don't use that kind of language," she said robotically.

 

Hilda raised an eyebrow and, despite her physical likeness to Anadil, looked just like Hester.

 

The tattooed witch idly wondered if it was this hard to raise her... then again, her mother had died when she was young.

 

Probably saved herself a whole lot of frustration, too.

 

Hester looked back at the door and growled as Dot was still bustling in the kitchen.

 

Anadil grabbed her hand and Hester felt the anger drain out of her.

 

It wasn't too bad if they were a few minutes late.

 

Anadil's presence always seemed to be able to calm her down.

 

Dede came skipping out of the house, looking like the spitting image of her mother as she got distracted by a butterfly that flew over her head.

 

Dede joined her friends and waited for her mom to finish whatever she was doing in there.

 

Dede wasn't super skinny, but she wasn't plump either. She had short, curly brown hair and her matching eyes were permanently alight with an excited glow. She had her hair in pigtails, making her look even younger than she was (about half a year younger than the twins). There was a bit of chocolate in her hand and she beamed at her friends. She was a perfect mix of her parents, getting her sweet and excitable personality from both sides.

 

Hester could have sworn she saw Dot turn a spoon into chocolate through the window.

 

When Dot finally stepped out, she had a wide grin and a basket full of chocolate chip cookies.

 

"Lemme guess, the ol' ball and chain had you bake those?" Hester asked.

 

Dot smiled fondly and nodded.

 

Dot had been married about two years less than Hester and Anadil, but their kids were still about the same age as the latter two had been very hesitant to have kids... plus, it had taken them a solid six months to find the spell to let them have biological daughters together.

 

"Where is the annoying brat anyway?" Anadil asked.

 

"Probably out picking roses," Hester mulled.

 

"Probably turning them into little wreaths they can wear," Anadil asked.

 

The two witches snickered and Dot glared.

 

"No... that was yesterday," she muttered.

 

The two other members of the Coven roared with laughter.

 

~

 

Sophie led her daughter toward the carriage that had come to take them to the meeting.

 

Serenity had naturally tan skin, a little effect mix of creamy white and dark chocolaty skin. Despite her dark skin tone, she had fluffy blond hair and brilliant emerald eyes. Considering her lineage, people were constantly wondering whether she was to be the greatest Never since her parents' time... or an advocate for Evers everywhere.

 

"Come, come. We can't be late or Agatha will have my head. She can do that, you know. She's a queen."

 

Serenity rolled her eyes, looking just like her mother as she did so.

 

"I doubt she'd have you killed, mom," she said.

 

Sophie rolled her eyes as well.

 

Why did I marry someone with so much sarcasm? I should have known our daughter would end up like this. Sophie thought as they made he journey up to the castle.

 

~

 

Milly sat on the grass, looking out into the woods and listening to the bird calls and fox howls with a small smile.

 

By her feet, a golden wolfhoundlay, slumbering by its master's feet.

 

Despite her darker skin tone, Milly had dirty blond hair with strikes of brown that matched well with her elusive grey eyes the color of storm clouds.

 

She heard her mother complaining to some servant and tried not to laugh at how predictable that was.

 

She heard her silence for a moment and assumed that the one person in the world that could calm her down had just pulled her in for a kiss.

 

Milly couldn't help but find that romantic...

 

And those thoughts of romance made her attention shift back to what she had been trying to avoid.

 

Just then, her mom walked out of their house (a house that was more accurately described as a mini castle) and Milly found a distraction.

 

Her mother held her True Love along by the hand, practically tugging them after her.

 

Milly knew better than to dillydally when her mother was like this, so she quickly hopped to her feet and chased after them, her wolfhound bounding along behind her.

 

~

 

Hort's eyes widened dramatically as he saw the time.

 

"Oh no," he muttered.

 

They had to get going right now because if they didn't literally sprint to the castle they'd be late... and Hester was known for using her demon to attack the stragglers.

 

"Babe, we gotta go!" Hort shouted, snatching into Nathan's hand and pulling his son out the door of their large Camelot home.

 

Nathan he had long, oily black hair and a slim form that many would compare to some type of rodent. His skin was a pasty brown color and his eyes were a matching dull color. He was the youngest of their friend group, but not by much.

 

"I'm coming!"

 

~

 

And as the six families converged on the castle, they easily became a singular one...

 

If only they knew what was to come.


	2. Chapter 2

"I'm here! I'm here!" calls an annoyingly chipper voice.

 

Hester groans and rolled her eyes as Kiko runs up to join them.

 

Anadil snickered, hand still holding Hester's own.

 

Dot beams and turns around to look at the Evergirl.

 

Kiko had matured, but she still seemed as youthful and excitable as ever as she threw her arms around Dot in a hug, encompassing Dede as well.

 

"I missed you!" Kiko said happily.

 

"You've been gone for two hours," Anadil said levelly.

 

"Not nearly long enough," Hester added.

 

The two witches laughed and Dot would have turned around to go on one of her rare tirades, but Kiko was pulling something from behind her back.

 

She held out a rose.

 

"I saw this in the market and it made me think of you," Kiko said excitedly.

 

Dot grinned broadly and watched Kiko put it right behind her ear.

 

Dede looked at her two mothers with a grin while Hester, Anadil, Hilda, and Amber all gagged at the romantic gesture.

 

"Keep laughing and I'll turn all the spoons into chocolate again," Dot said before leaning in to kiss her wife.

 

"I knew you did something to the spoons!" Hester growled, demon twitching irritably.

 

Kiko giggled at Dot's threat while Anadil gripped Hester's hand tighter to keep her from doing anything to the happy couple.

 

Dot and Kiko had been married for a little over fourteen years now, but the two still seemed to be in the honeymoon phase.

 

They hardly ever fought and Kiko found some way to be romantic with Dot everyday.

 

Hester and Anadil also found a way to be disgusted with their best friend and her wife everyday.

 

Dot often claimed that, since Hester and Anadil were to mean, they should just move out.

 

It was about that time when Hester and Anadil swallowed their pride and apologized.

 

Dot had gotten better at making those two admit they cared for her over the years and couldn't be happier about it.

 

Kiko grabbed Dot's hand and the two walked behind Hester and Anadil.

 

The three girls had scampered off and were planning something mischievous... well, they couldn't be sure it was something bad, but knowing who the twins' parents were it was quite obvious what they were likely to do.

 

~

 

Tedros heard a knock on the door and raised an eyebrow. Most of their friends were more likely to barge in than to knock.

 

That meant it had to be...

 

"Come in, Kiko," he said with a smile.

 

The small woman poked a head in and grinned at him.

 

Tedros rolled his eyes as Hester shoved the door open behind Kiko and stormed in, Anadil at her side.

 

Hester's daughters exchanged grins before Hilda grabbed onto Dede and the three raced from the room.

 

Tedros shook his head sufferingly.

 

They were most likely going to go and mess with his kids...

 

Hester and Anadil's kids seemed to like his daughter just as much as Hester and Anadil liked him when they were that age.

 

Agatha stepped in and smiled at the Coven (and Kiko) and walked up for a hug.

 

Hester sidestepped and snatched the crown off of Agatha's head.

 

"Still can't talk to your friends with that on," Anadil chided as Hester set it on Dot's head.

 

Ever since that time in Avalon, Hester stole Agatha's crown and gave it to Dot whenever she got the chance to do so.

 

"Yes, you've told me that several times," Agatha said, though she was still grinning.

 

Dot and Kiko seemed to make up for Hester and Anadil's reluctance to hug by giving Agatha crushingly strong ones.

 

~

 

Milly saw the castle come into sight and found herself smiling.

 

In front of her, her parents walked down the trail, Beatrix complaining about something (as always).

 

Reena sidled up next to Beatrix slyly as if they were still students and gave her a grin.

 

"Come on, you'll get wrinkles if you keep frowning like that," Reena said.

 

"Women can have wrinkles," Beatrix said, clearly remembering what she'd been taught back in heir second year at school.

 

"Yes, but you're prettier when you smile," Reena responded with a laugh.

 

Milly rolled her eyes at the exceedingly romantic way her mothers spoke. It seemed like all the couples in their friend group did that (even Hester and Anadil, despite how often they denied it. Milly has seen Anadil sitting in Hester's lap and playing with her red streaked hair more times than she could count).

 

"Are we almost there?" Milly asked impatiently.

 

"You sound just like your mother... your other mother, that is," Beatrix said with a smirk at Reena.

 

Reena rolled her eyes and turned to their only child.

 

"About three minutes."

 

Milly sighed and anxiously waited to get to see her friends.

 

~

 

Serenity twirled her blond hair around her finger as they sat in the carriage and looked over at her mother.

 

"Is mom going to be there?" she asked.

 

"Don't know why you'd want her there when I'm the perfect mother." Sophie flipped her hair and Serenity gave her a look that matched perfectly with her other mother's.

 

"Yes, she's back," Sophie said with an eye roll.

 

Serenity smiled and tried to act like she wasn't excited to see her mother.

 

~

 

Nathan and his parents burst into the castle, all three of them panting.

 

They'd run the whole way there and had barely gotten there on time.

 

"You guys are late every time. Maybe you should get ready earlier," Agatha said.

 

"Or not come," Hester muttered.

 

Anadil cackled and Beatrix let out an annoyed huff.

 

Hester muttered something about Beatrix pulling a stick out of her arse and Anadil slapped her arm angrily.

 

"What?! Amber and Hilda aren't here!" Hester snapped.

 

Anadil rolled her eyes sufferingly before pointing at Nathan.

 

"Ani, Ravan curses even more than I do. Plus, Hort already ruined the kid."

 

Anadil snickered and Hort threw up his hands in annoyance.

 

"Can you not insult me and my family for a second?!" Hort snapped.

 

Hester paused for a moment.

 

"Nah," she said, smirking.

 

Anadil's rats tittered at the words and scurried along her shoulders.

 

"I'm here, I'm here!" a voice said, accompanying a small form that ran into the castle.

 

Sophie and Serenity looked at the door, both having the same excited look on their faces... that is until Sophie cooled her features and crossed her arms against her chest.

 

Nicola of Woods Beyond strode into the room and Serenity sprinted toward her, wrapping her mother in a hug.

 

Nicola has been gone for two months trying to see who should come to the School for Good and Evil.

 

She was the head of recruitment for the past few years and was also Good's history professor.

 

Nicola looked at her wife and was met by Sophie sniffing and looking away.

 

Nicola let out a sigh as she tried to figure out how to get her wife to stop being passive aggressive... but knowing Sophie, that was pretty much impossible.

 

But Nicola was able to stand her for a reason (well, a reason other than her extraordinary good looks).

 

Hester rolled her eyes as she saw Sophie being petty. What a shocker.

 

She sometimes wondered how those two had gotten married in the first place considering how often they butted heads.

 

But then again she also wondered how anyone put up with Beatrix enough to have a child with her. Reena was a saint.

 

"Well, now that everyone's here we can finally start eating!" Agatha said with a grin.

 

These gatherings were held at least once a week, though sometimes one or more attendants weren't able to make it. But, as a rule, everyone was pretty consistent about their presence at the lunches.

 

Most of them wouldn't admit it, but ever since their fairytale they were all pretty close... even if some of them (Hester and Beatrix) still didn't know why they didn't throttle each other.

 

Nicola took the seat beside Sophie, trying to give her wife a smile to ease the tension.

 

Sophie let out a huffing sound and looked away from her pointedly.

 

Nicola briefly wondered why she'd ever fallen for this annoying blond.

 

~

 

Amber followed her sister as she snuck through the castle halls to where they assumed to prince and princess would be.

 

"Why are we doing this again?" Dede asked as she followed her friends.

 

As the three snuck through the halls, they resembled their mother's own coven quite well.

 

"Because she's a stuck up princess," Hilda said easily.

 

"But I'm a princess too!" Dede responded.

 

Amber snorted.

 

"Yeah, a princess that lives in a house on a hill with four other people," she said.

 

Dede muttered something under her breath that sounded like turning her friends into white chocolate.

 

Neither paid her any heed.

 

"And isn't Milly a princess too? I thought you two got along well," Dede said, trying to reason with Hilda.

 

The older girl froze for half a second before she continued to stalk through the halls like a cat hunting a canary.

 

"She is still a princess... but Theresa's way worse. Plus, we don't 'get along well,' we're friends of convenience for when I need something out of her."

 

Dede frowned, finding that this argument made less sense than Hilda's normal comebacks.

 

Amber even glanced at her sister with a confused look on her face as well.

 

"I like Theresa. She's really good with her sword and she's super sweet," Dede said with a small smile on her face.

 

Amber and Hilda whipped around, both giving her glares identical to that of their tattooed mother.

 

Dede fell silent and followed after them with her head down.

 

One Hester was bad, but when both of those girls gave that glare... well, even their albino mother would look a bit unnerved (but Hester would usually put them in their place quite firmly... and they didn't have too much fun with those consequences).

 

~

 

Milly whistled idly, seeing birds land in a circle around her, drawn to her voice.

 

She was used to random woodland creatures being drawn to her. It was something her mothers had both told her about.

 

But it seemed as if she was a bit better at it than them. She tried not to be smug whenever she thought of that, but it was difficult.

 

She heard footsteps and turned to look down the hall.

 

She squinted and caught sight of the 'new and improved Coven'.

 

She smiled a bit. She'd always been close to those three.

 

She looked down at her wolfhound, Bernard, and whistled sharply. His head popped up and she led him down toward the three familiar forms.

 

None of them noticed the form watching them go with a smirk on his lips.

 

~

 

"You can't be mad at me forever," Nicola whispered with a glare.

 

Sophie gave her a look that Nicola interrupted as a 'can too'.

 

"You were gone for three months last year!" Nicola pointed out angrily.

 

"You're being hypocritical."

 

"Yes, well, that's one of the perks of being a Never, dear. I get to be hypocritical."

 

Nicola could have beat her head against the table... would have been more productive than talking to Sophie about this.

 

Nicola would just have to wear her down until she decided to say she'd missed her and was glad she was back.

 

Nicola saw Serenity reading from a fairytale, a rare one Nicola had never even used on a test (not even as a bonus question, which said a lot as to how obscure the book was), and smiled.

 

Nobody in the Endless Woods was completely sure whether Serenity was an Ever or Never considering her mothers, but it didn't matter to Nicola. She'd love her either way... she already loved the most famous villain in the whole Woods after all.

 

~

 

Milly caught up with the three girls and gave them a small greeting.

 

Dede grabbed her in a hug and she tried to pretend she wasn't super excited to see them.

 

Hilda thought excited greetings were lame, so she tried not to do them around her.

 

Milly didn't let herself worry about why she cared so much about what Hilda thought.


	3. Chapter 3

The adults had now migrated into a sitting room after eating. They talked about current events and reminisced as their children did... whatever they did when parents weren't watching.

 

Hester rolled her eyes as she saw the disgusting displays of affection

 

Kiko was leaning on Dot's shoulder and playing with her hair while talking to Agatha about something or the other.

 

Agatha was sitting on the armrest of Tedros' chair with his arm around her waist.

 

Hort and Ravan were loudly making out in the corner (something Hester wished she had never seen).

 

Nicola had even worn Sophie down a bit and they were talking in hushed tones on the couch, clearly still arguing but nonetheless nearing a resolution.

 

Anadil smirked as she saw Hester's distaste of the blatant PDA in the sitting room.

 

Anadil took a seat on Hester's armrest before she practically fell against her, making the tattooed witch grunt in surprise.

 

Hester gave her a confused look as the albino sat there in a jumble of limbs.

 

Nonetheless, Hester wrapped her arms around Anadil's waist and set her down in her own lap comfortably.

 

Dot looked at Hester and Anadil.

 

The albino has triumphantly leaned the recliner back and sat between Hester's sprawled out legs, whispering something (probably an insult) in the tattooed witch's ear.

 

"And you complained about us?" Dot asked, scandalized.

 

Hester held up a finger and Anadil jabbed her with an elbow to the ribs.

 

Hester growled at her wife and pointed out there weren't any kids in the room.

 

"No, that was for being a hypocrite," Anadil said.

 

"See?!" Nicola suddenly exploded at her wife, pointing at Hester and Anadil.

 

"Nevers don't just get to be hypocrites!"

 

Sophie and Hester both rolled their eyes, looking at each other with similar exasperation.

 

Hester was internally disgusted that she agreed with the blond witch.

 

Nicola turned back to look at her wife with a small glare.

 

"Are you ever going to forgive me or are you going to get the divorce paper ready?!" she snapped.

 

People would have been shocked silent should this have been the first time Nicola had ever made that threat.

 

Unfortunately for her, she used that every single time they had a serious argument.

 

Sophie was silent for a moment, glaring at the other girl, before she let out a huff and a sigh.

 

She fell against the couch and crossed her arms.

 

"Fine."

 

Nicola smirked and opened her mouth to speak, but Sophie was too quick.

 

"But you'll have to make it up to me."

 

Nicola raised an eyebrow.

 

"How so?"

 

Sophie gained a mischievous smirk and she was suddenly standing up and grabbing her True Love's hand.

 

She tugged the other girl out of the room and Hester made a gagging sound (even as Anadil played with her hair).

 

Sophie didn't seem to care about the disgusted look on her best friend's face either.

 

She was looking forward to a bit of... catching up.

 

Tedros and Agatha shared a suffering look before shaking their heads and turning back to their conversations.

 

~

 

Theresa was just minding her own business when she suddenly heard snickering from behind a column.

 

She jumped to her feet and raised her (practice) sword warily.

 

"Who's there?" she asked, proud that her voice sounded strong and sure of itself.

 

~

 

Amber glared vehemently.

 

How did she know?! Her stupid, weird super hearing. I'll cut her ears off one day, mark my words, she thought.

 

"Can't wait until we get our finger glows unlocked," Hilda muttered with a scowl.

 

Amber nodded her agreement, but she was already planning how to get Theresa later.

 

That princess just rubbed her the wrong way.

 

~

 

Theresa saw four forms walk out from behind the bush and her sword lowered as she recognized them.

 

She gave them a blinding grin.

 

Is she smiling at us?! That's it, I'm going to kill her, thought Amber.

 

She wasn't sure why she hated this girl so much, but she did.

 

Usually it was Hilda to led them into picking on someone, but Amber herself had been the one to pick this princess.

 

Hilda had eagerly gone along as it gave her the ability to make fun of someone and play pranks.

 

"Hey guys!" Theresa said as she sheathed her sword.

 

Amber hated how smug she looked about that new sheath she had gotten from her father on her fifteenth birthday.

 

Amber wouldn't say she hated Theresa (how could she truly hate her when they had grown up together like this), but she would say that she strongly disliked her.

 

Dede couldn't help herself and she hurried forward to give the Ever a tight hug.

 

The tall girl laughed and hugged her back with a small pat on the back.

 

Hilda gave a curt hello, but Amber stayed silent.

 

Theresa didn't seem to care.

 

She had somehow gotten an easygoing steak from... somewhere?

 

It seemed like she was super chill until a time of danger and then she immediately took charge.

 

Not that Amber really paid attention to what the other girl did.

 

Of course she didn't.

 

Because that girl was super annoying and she wanted to choke the life out of her half the time.

 

There were loud footsteps and they all turned to see both Axel and Nathan coming in.

 

They were the only two boys (because when two girls had a child using the spell, they had to have a girl (A/N: just comment if you want me to explain that logic) and had always been a bit closer because of that fact.

 

Both were awkward and clearly lanky.

 

They were the two youngest of the group and always slightly shunned (whether on purpose or just as a side affect of those two facts), so they had become close fairly quickly.

 

Although Nathan was clearly a Never at heart, he was able to be just the right amount of weirdly endearing to have an Ever best friend that's as quite like Agatha.

 

~

 

The dark form smirked.

 

Just one more...

 

~

 

Serenity froze for a moment as she watched the group of friends.

 

Her eyes were drawn to a particular kid and she felt her face heat up.

 

She shook her head and didn't allow herself to think about her reaction.

 

She took a deep breath and walked into the clearing.

 

She was always happy to see her friends.

 

~

 

Milly glanced at Hilda and raised an eyebrow, watching her tattoo.

 

She wasn't sure if it had moved or not.

 

Many of them had started to speculate on her Special Talent.

 

It was probably just like Hester's... but she felt like there had to be something different, right?

 

Like Amber's wasn't exactly like Anadil's. Hers were mice, not rats (even if that difference seemed minimal at best).

 

Milly shouldn't be thinking so much about that, however.

 

~

 

The dark shadow whirled his cloak and strode into the clearing in a dramatic fashion.

 

Serenity has just walked up to greet her friends and they were all finally in the right place for his plan.

 

~

 

Theresa suddenly saw a form out of the corner of her eyes.

 

She whirled, hand on her sword hilt, and found a very familiar form.

 

(Amber was certainly not impressed by how quickly she had recognized a possible threat. Nope. Definitely not at all).

 

The form smiled broadly.

 

"Your father was never able to do that," he commented with more than a bit of pride.

 

Theresa's face suddenly split into a wide, beaming grin and she ran forward.

 

"Merlin!" she cried.

 

Axel's eyes widened in recognition and he too ran forward to grab the old wizard in a bone-crushing hug.

 

There was a long moment of greeting before Milly suddenly asked what everyone was thinking.

 

"Why are you suddenly visiting?"

 

Amber raised an eyebrow.

 

That sounded like something Hilda would say.

 

She glanced at her twin and, sure enough, she was staring at Milly with slightly widened eyes.

 

Clearly the words had just been stolen from the tip of her tongue.

 

Milly had gotten her bluntness from Beatrix.

 

Merlin laughed good naturedly at the question.

 

"Why I'm here to fix the past," he said.

 

His tone was casual.

 

He could have just as easily been discussing the weather or their lunch plans for next week.

 

"What?" Hilda and Amber asked at the same time.

 

It was a twin thing.

 

Merlin's eyes twinkled with mischief and he nodded at the children surrounding him.

 

"I'm here to make sure you all are born."

 

This time every child said 'what?!' together, not just the twins.

 

"You see, should you not go back and help, none of your parents will have you," he explained simply.

 

Serenity frowned.

 

"That doesn't make sense. That's a paradox. If we go back to change the past and make sure we're born, then how were we ever born in the first place to go back and change it?" she asked, channeling her inner Nicola quite fully.

 

Merlin chuckled.

 

"Clearly it works, child, or you would have simply never been born."

 

Serenity moves her jaw up and down, but no words were able to come out.

 

She spluttered for a good minute before Dede put a comforting hand on her shoulder and she just sighed and shook her head, looking down at the ground dejectedly while muttered about how it didn't make sense.

 

"Now! Who's ready to go back in time and make sure you're born?" Merlin asked with a wide grin.

 

Nobody responded, but t seemed as if it had been a rhetorical question anyways.

 

He waved his wand in a complex way and, before any of them had time to protest or even cry out, they were sucked into the wizard's hat.

 

~

 

Hilda growled and lifted her head up.

 

She found herself in a mass and tangle of limbs.

 

She growled and tried to shove everyone out of the way.

 

But she found she was at the very bottom of a vey annoying huddle of their friend group and instead had to wait for everyone else to get up.

 

She definitely didn't notice that she was laying very close to Milly.

 

She couldn't wait to shove that partially unconscious girl off of her.

 

She let out a loud noise, telling all of them to wake up and stop crushing her with their fat selves.

 

~

 

Amber awoke groggily and picked her head up.

 

She was about to sit up, but she found several forces holding her down.

 

The greatest being an arm that was lazily laying across her waist.

 

She looked over and found Theresa.

 

The blind had her vibrant blue eyes closed and her usually tense face was relaxed.

 

Amber just stared at her for a long moment before she found heat rushing to her face.

 

She shoved the girl off of her and the warrior princess woke up with a start.

 

She tumbled off the pile of bodies and Hilda let out a thankful noise as one less person was piled on top of her.

 

Everyone slowly started to get up, but Hilda hurried them along.

 

"If you don't speed up I'll show you why I'm Hester of Ravenswood's daughter!" she roared.

 

Even Amber hurried to get off of the pile for fear of her twin's wrath.

 

~

 

Serenity looked around and frowned.

 

Where were they?

 

It was seemingly the middle of the woods, but that was in no way shape or form helpful.

 

She turned in a full circle before she caught sight of something she had only seen pictures of in her books.

 

The gates to the School for Good and Evil.

 

That crazy old wizard had sent them to the School!

 

She stiffened suddenly as she remembered what had happened.

 

Were they...?

 

Had they actually been sent back in time?!

 

She felt her brain start to hurt as she considered the paradoxes that this would undoubtedly make and instead focused on how they were going to get out of this mess the wizard had created.

 

She sighed and shook her head.

 

She guessed there was only one way out.

 

Do as he said.

 

Make sure they were born.


	4. Chapter 4

Before reading, comment which children you think are Nevers and which are Evers.

 

Hilda sighed and shoved herself to her feet.

 

She popped her back and glared at their particularly heavy friend's (Nathan, she's looking at you).

 

"What year is it?" she asked.

 

"Oh let me just check the newspaper," Milly said with a scoff.

 

Hilda looked like she was torn between laughter and killing the other girl.

 

She went with neither and just stayed quiet.

 

"We should go find our parents," Amber said suddenly.

 

"But if we do that we could just upset time! Make it so we're never born!" Serenity cried worriedly.

 

"Yeah and we'll never be born if we don't do anything either," Theresa snapped before making her way toward the school.

 

Amber found herself following the princess and growled lowly.

 

She didn't like that stupid sword wielding girl.

 

Hilda joined Amber at her side and glanced at her.

 

Hilda usually led the two of them, but Amber has suddenly found herself following that other girl.

 

It made her want to scream or pull out her black hair.

 

Hilda glanced at her twin and raised an eyebrow with a concerned look on her face.

 

The group soon followed the princess of Camelot to the school gates.

 

She was a natural born leader (even if Amber would never willingly admit that).

 

"Amb, you okay?" Hilda whispered.

 

Amber shook her head for a moment to clear it before looking at Hilda.

 

"Yeah," she muttered softly.

 

Hilda raised an eyebrow and shrugged and turned around to look at the school.

 

None of them had ever seen the school and all of them momentarily froze, losing their sense of purpose and just staring at the beautiful sight.

 

There were several bustling students, some of which they recognized either from their parents friendship with them in future or their fairytale they'd all read several times.

 

They really were back in time, but the true meaning of this was shown when they saw a very familiar black-haired, bug-eyed princess.

 

Axel and Theresa watched with disbelief as their mother, now their own age, walked only a few dozen feet in front of them.

 

"Mom?" Axel whispered.

 

Theresa slapped a hand over her brother's mouth.

 

"While we're here, that's Agatha. Just plain old Agatha."

 

Axel glanced at her and, upon nodding, she let go and turned back around.

 

Suddenly, another familiar face appeared and grinned at them.

 

"You must be new students this year! Come, come!"

 

The woman, Professor Anemone, led all of them to the middle of halfway bridge.

 

"No assumptions this year! Pick a side and see if it picks you too!"

 

The woman was far too chipper for Hilda and Amber's taste and they hurried to the Evil side.

 

They were accepted warmly and immediately.

 

"I'll take mom you take ma?" Hilda hissed.

 

It sounded like a question, but both knew it was more of an order.

 

Amber nodded anyways and they turned around to see the sides their friends had taken.

 

Theresa was, obviously, on the other side and accompanied by her brother.

 

Milly joined them and Hilda frowned slightly, looking away from the slightly mischievous princess.

 

She'd known she would be on the other side but...

 

She shook her head and cleared it of those weird thoughts.

 

Nathan joined them on their side and both the twins took a step away from him.

 

All that was left were Dede and Serenity.

 

Both seemed frozen between the two moats.

 

Serenity glanced at Good and the beautiful, glistening towers.

 

The part of her that came from Sophie said that she belonged there, belonged where everything was the most beautiful and perfect.

 

She glanced at the Evil tower and something deep inside her stirred.

 

She wasn't sure what it was, but she was sure what it meant.

 

She confidently took a step toward Evil while Dede took a step toward Good.

 

Everything was as it should be-

 

That is until the barrier bounced both of them back with a "Good with Good, Evil with Evil."

 

Both girls stared at each other with wide eyes.

 

Professor Anemone didn't seem too shocked, Serenity did have the princess look to her and Dede (in Anemone's opinion) was far too plum to have the self-control to be an Evil, and she guided the two to their respective schools.

 

Dede passed through easily and the twins hooted in triumph, claiming their Coven has been completed.

 

Dede easily sunk into the celebrations and the three walked to the Evil castle in high (demonic) spirits.

 

Dede glanced back and gave Serenity one final look before following her friends.

 

Nathan scurried after them with a "wait up guys!"

 

Serenity stepped toward Good and felt parts from both her mothers filling her.

 

The need to be the best and the need to help people.

 

She worried that that mix could be disastrous... but perhaps it could be... good?

 

Because she was the daughter of the Witch of Beyond, she had always thought she would go to Evil.

 

She had studied up on spells and curses, but every time she did it she felt as if it was wrong for her.

 

She had told herself that was her inner Sophie-the-diva-queen speaking, and perhaps that had been part of it, but it had also been her inner do-gooder-Nicola.

 

She smiled a bit and walked beside her fellow Evers to the castle in the distance.

 

She glanced over her shoulder and saw that everyone else did the same.

 

Odd.

 

~

 

The new Nevers were greeted by Professor Sheeks and she looked them all over.

 

Her eyes landed on Hilda's tattoo and Amber's mice.

 

She muttered something about "copycats" and stared in shock as Dede turned something to chocolate with a grin.

 

The professor shook her head and gestured for them to enter the school.

 

"Give your names to Castor."

 

Dede subtly slid closer to Hilda as she saw several unfamiliar Nevers glaring at her.

 

Hilda whipped her head around.

 

She met the gaze of all the Nevers that were leering at Dede.

 

"This one is my henchman, got it?! Anyone comes closer, I'll rip your head off!" she roared.

 

Many other henchman were cowed and even a few leaders weren't looking at her or Dede.

 

A few leaders snickered.

 

"Look at that first year. She thinks she's all that."

 

Hilda's demon twitch and Amber put a hand on her shoulder to calm her down.

 

It didn't work.

 

Her demon tattoo moved, stretching over her skin until it covered every inch of her.

 

When it had, Hilda was no longer standing there and in her place a bright green demon stood, roaring at the students.

 

Leaders and henchmen alike scurried away from her wrath and she found a smirk on her lips.

 

She glanced down, as she was now six inches taller and had wings extending from her back, and saw Nathan and Amber.

 

She let out a low, ground shaking growl.

 

"These three are mine."

 

As she started to shrink down, she saw a very familiar form.

 

Not only did she look just like Amber but with red streaks in her hair, but she was the spitting image of her mom.

 

That could be explained because she was, in fact, her mom.

 

Hester had a smug smirk on her face that Hilda herself made quite often and she looked her up and down.

 

She turned to Castor.

 

"I'm taking this one," she said simply.

 

Hilda wasn't sure what she was taking her for, but she was alright with that.

 

This was her mother... whether she knew it or not.

 

The girl beside her stepped forward.

 

She had long, pale white hair that was the same shade as her skin. Her red eyes were insanely familiar as they were practically her own.

 

She looked at Amber, who had her mice scurrying around her hair and shoulders like always, and said "That one's mine."

 

Dot hurried forward, always the last to arrive, and panted heavily as if their mothers had left her behind to see what all the commotion was about.

 

"I'll take that one!" she said hurriedly between deep breaths.

 

She was pointing right at Dede and the girl grinned and even giggled at her mother's instant interest in her for... whatever this was for.

 

"Hester, this is a very random sorting-"

 

Hester was already walking away.

 

She glanced over her shoulder and gave Hilda and Amber a look they both recognized very well.

 

It meant to follow her.

 

They did as silently commanded and the three girls scurried after their respective mothers.

 

Nathan, having been told very recently that he was under Hilda's protection, followed after his friends.

 

Hester stared at him in disdain and Hilda silently agreed with her mother's assessment of him.

 

"You can go to... Hort or Ravan"

 

She waved her hand to dismiss him and the three girls muttered goodbyes before following.

 

None of her knew what they were following them for, however.

 

~

 

Theresa grabbed onto her brother's hand as the four Evers made their way to the School for Good.

 

She was Axel's older sister and she took that title quite seriously.

 

She would protect him with her life.

 

She suddenly ran into a very familiar form.

 

She looked up and caught sight of a boy just a few inches taller than herself.

 

He was shirtless and sweating from a recent workout.

 

The sword at his hip was all that she needed to be sure of who this was.

 

This was her father.

 

Axel gaped and she quickly tried to cover for them.

 

"Sorry," he said with his best princely smile.

 

"It's my fault, I should have been lookin where I was going," Theresa said instantly.

 

She needed to get out of here.

 

She couldn't be here with her father for too long or either she or her brother would mess it up.

 

"You look familiar," Tedros said with a small frown.

 

Theresa shook her head, her short locks of vibrant blond hair shaking with it.

 

"Nope! We've never met!"

 

She was too cheerful and she grimaced.

 

"Well, I'm Tedros of Camelot."

 

He held out his hand for her to shake.

 

She took it and gave it a firm squeeze, just as her father had taught her.

 

His eyes widened and he grinned.

 

"Never met a princess with that kind of grip."

 

Theresa tried not to roll her eyes.

 

She heard that all the time.

 

"Thanks," she said a bit sarcastically.

 

Her cousin, Serenity, was still looking around at the castle.

 

"You look familiar too," he said to Serenity.

 

The girl's face paled and she shook her head.

 

"Don't know why!"

 

Tedros was about to talk, but Chaddick came over and told his friend something interesting.

 

"Did you hear? Every fourth year has to tutor a first."

 

Tedros frowned at his friend and as they talked the four Evers slipped away.

 

~

 

"What did you pick up for?" Hilda asked with her best no-nonsense-Hester-voice.

 

Her mom glanced at her and smirked.

 

"I like her, Ani."

 

The albino stared at her with narrowed eyes.

 

Hilda cursed how similar she and Amber looked to their mothers.

 

"What's your name?" Hester asked.

 

"Hilda."

 

She thought rapidly.

 

"Hilda of Mount Celesta."

 

She was legally Hilda of Camelot because she'd been born and raised there, but... well, in this one only Tedros could be 'of Camelot'.

 

"And this is my twin sister, Amber of Mount Celesta. This is Dede of Wolfsring."

 

Amber and Dede looked at her and silently praised her for her quick thinking.

 

Hester raised an eyebrow and looked between her and Amber.

 

"Twins?" she asked skeptically.

 

She'd clearly had some run ins with twins before (see School Master, Agatha and Sophie, or Rhian and Jepeth).

 

"Not identical, clearly," Hilda said with a dull expression that perfect mimicked Hester's.

 

Hester stared at her before smirking.

 

"You're here because we picked you because we're supposed to be your 'mentors'."

 

She put air quotations at the word mentors with her fingers.

 

Hilda didn't think this could be going any better.

 

They had certainly been lucky.

 

She caught sight of a star sticker on the wall.

 

Or had it been luck at all?


	5. Chapter 5

Milly saw her mothers a few yards away and grinned-that is until she saw who they were sitting next to.

 

Millicent.

 

As in the woman she'd been named after.

 

The woman who had died.

 

She was already starting her transformation into a deer.

 

She wanted nothing more than to run over and tell her to run.

 

To never come back and maybe she'd live.

 

But if Millicent didn't die... Reena and Beatrix would.

 

And then Milly would never be born and could never warn her.

 

"Stay away from paradoxes," Serenity whispered as if she had known what Milly was thinking.

 

She sighed and looked away from the trio on the bench.

 

Theresa put a hand on her shoulder comfortingly.

 

Theresa was always good at comforting people.

 

Milly sniffled and looked away.

 

Theresa sighed and pulled Milly into a hug.

 

Serenity was about to help, but that's when she saw her.

 

Her mother was across the moat at the School for Evil and being thrown out of rooms.

 

She remembered hearing about this from her.

 

She laughed as she was thrown right into the pond beside them.

 

Nicola pulled herself out of the water, soaking wet, and let out a huff and shook like a dog.

 

Serenity kept laughing and Nicola glared at her vehemently.

 

Serenity rolled her eyes and pulled a towel out of her small purse.

 

Axel stared at his cousin in open shock.

 

"HOW DID YOU FIT A TOWEL IN THERE?!"

 

Serenity sniffed.

 

"My mother taught me."

 

Axel was about to go off about how impossible that was, but Serenity clearly didn't care as she walked over to give her mom a towel.

 

"Thanks..." she said skeptically.

 

Serenity shrugged.

 

"It's what Evers do."

 

Nicola stared at her.

 

"A very wise woman once told me that," she said.

 

It had been her mom.

 

Nicola nodded and dried off.

 

"I don't think I'm a Never," she said dryly as she stared at the castle on the other side of the bridge.

 

Serenity laughed.

 

"Yeah, it rejected me too."

 

Nicola handed back the now soaking towel and Serenity somehow folded it and put it back in, Axel crying out how impossible it was all the way.

 

"Shut up!" she hissed at her cousin before straightening.

 

"I'm Nicola."

 

Serenity stared at her and took her hand, shaking it.

 

"I'm Serenity."

 

"That's a really nice name. I've never heard it before."

 

Serenity internally screamed.

 

Had she just named herself?!

 

That's a PARADOX!

 

She took a deep breath and gave her mom a tight smile.

 

"Thank you."

 

She withdrew and joined her friends with a slightly concerned look on her face.

 

"We need to get out of here," Serenity said levelly.

 

"Not until we make sure we're born," Milly snapped a bit more aggressively than she had to.

 

Serenity sighed and wished she could argue with her, but she couldn't.

 

She hoped that the Nevers were doing a better job than her at making sure there weren't any paradoxes.

 

~

 

Dede was laughing and talking to her mother.

 

She enjoyed having a conversation with her were they were about the same age.

 

It made her feel like she could get to know her better.

 

Amber and Anadil were sitting in tense silence while the latter stared at her and then glanced at Hester, frowning.

 

Amber was holding her breath and hoping she didn't somehow figure it out.

 

She wasn't sure how she would, but knowing her mothers, they always found a way.

 

That was part of the reason why they failed at so many of their prank ideas.

 

Hilda and Hester were both discussing the best way to survive the school.

 

She was getting the inside scoop about the hidden passage ways that her mother would never tell her in the future (mostly because Anadil would get upset and talk about not actively helping their children get in trouble... but Hester would probably just write her notes or sneak it to her when Anadil was out).

 

Hester suddenly stopped as she found herself smiling.

 

Hilda has made her smile.

 

She never smiled.

 

She instantly frowned and stared at the slightly younger girl.

 

Why did she feel like she should know who this person is?

 

Like they'd met before?

 

She shrugged it off and continued giving advice.

 

"You know, Hester, these three are like mini us!" Dot said excitedly.

 

Amber shifted slightly and locked eyes with Hilda.

 

The two communicated silently that they had to get Anadil and Hester together quickly if they wanted to remain undiscovered.

 

"It is quite coincidental that Hilda has a demon too..." Hester stared at her with narrowed eyes for a moment before shrugging it off.

 

She pulled out a map of the castle and pointed out a few more things.

 

"And Amber has mice..." Anadil mused quietly, almost quiet enough that Amber didn't hear her.

 

She just shrugged and glanced at her mice as they scurried across the ground, playing with Anadil's rats like they did in the future.

 

Mouse one, Leo, glanced at Amber and squeaked.

 

She nodded just slightly.

 

She glanced over at Hilda and gestured at the mice with a small shake of the head.

 

Hilda nodded and turned back to Hester, their mothers none the wiser of their silent conversation.

 

The mice had searched the castle up and down for a trace of Merlin and hadn't found anything.

 

Either he had gone back to the present or he was at Good.

 

~

 

Tedros had, finally, put on a shirt and gone to get his assignment for his mentorship.

 

He found himself grinning as he recognized the name.

 

It was the girl he had met earlier, Theresa.

 

He had hoped for a swordsman, but he guessed a girl that knew the difference between the two ends of a practice sword would have to do.

 

He found an odd kinship with her that he couldn't explain.

 

He shook his head to clear it and then went off to search for the new girl.

 

~

 

Hort grinned as he met the young Never he was supposed to mentor.

 

He was super excited to make a difference in a kid's life.

 

One day he really wanted to have a kid of his own, preferably with Sophie.

 

He met the boy, Nathan, and instantly felt the need to protect him from... anything. Anything that could possibly harm him.

 

If he felt like this for a boy he'd just met how would he feel for any kid he had one day?

 

~

 

Nathan tried not to freak out as he saw a younger version of his father.

 

He looked very similar to the man he knew as dad, but just a bit younger.

 

Nathan looked more like Ravan with his facial features, but the shape of his face and form made him look like his weasel of a father.

 

His father was still in his buff phase, but Nathan knew he would give that up once he got together with Ravan.

 

Oh yeah.

 

That was why he was here.

 

To make sure that they got together.

 

He had to make sure that he was born one day.

 

No pressure, just his whole existence relying on this.

 

He wasn't stressed or worried about this at all.

 

~

 

Axel tried not to be shoved over by the oncoming mass of students.

 

His sister was suddenly there.

 

She grabbed his hand and guided him through the crowd.

 

She always did this.

 

She was always there to help him every time he struggled, no matter what.

 

Sometimes he just wanted to do it on his own...

 

He knew he wasn't being fair.

 

He'd never told her this.

 

She was just always there to fix his problems.

 

He was just the annoying little brother (even I she would never say that and would stab anyone that would).

 

Maybe these were just his own insecurities that he was laying at her feet unjustly.

 

He had a tendency to do that, something he has inherited from his father.

 

He was feeling petty, so he ripped his hand out of Theresa's grasp and sighed.

 

His sister stared at him with a concerned expression, but he ignored her and pushed forward to see who his mentor was going to be.

 

He scanned for his name and then looked across to find...

 

Agatha.

 

He paled slightly.

 

He had been intent on watching and helping from the shadows, but now that was blown as he had to meet his mother and learn from her.

 

He sighed and was about to turn around and complain to Theresa, but she was grinning.

 

He looked at her name and saw Tedros beside it.

 

He sighed dramatically and shook his head.

 

Of course it was their father.

 

She was his favorite.

 

She always was.

 

He was just the son that couldn't use the sword.

 

She was the one that would inherit and rule Camelot one day.

 

He just wasn't strong enough for his father's taste.

 

He was scrawny and weak, not the son his father had always imagined.

 

In many ways, Theresa was the perfect son, even if she was a girl.

 

Axel shook his head and looked away from his beaming sister.

 

The one she could never compete with.

 

~

 

"Lessons start in fifteen minutes. You three better start getting ready," Hester said without looking up from her bag.

 

"Ani, do you have my Advanced Henchmen Training textbook?" Hester asked.

 

Anadil made a grunting sound that Amber and Hilda recognized as a 'yes' and then threw the textbook at Hester.

 

She caught it without looking at Anadil.

 

"Hester-"

 

The tattooed witch (the older one that is) threw Anadil her notebook.

 

Their pattern felt so familiar that Hilda and Amber found themselves chiming in.

 

"Zip up your backpack," Hilda chided as Hester started to sling her backpack on her shoulders.

 

"Don't forget rat three," Amber said as her mother got ready.

 

"Eight minutes!" Dede called as she grabbed her few supplies.

 

The pattern continued for another thirty seconds before they left through the door.

 

Anadil suddenly paused and glanced at Hester.

 

That was weird.

 

How had... how had Hilda and Amber known all those things?

 

It had felt... right to have them there.

 

Like they complimented them in some necessary way.

 

Hester met Anadil's eyes and raised an eyebrow.

 

Anadil shook her head.

 

She was just being insane, that's all.

 

It was just because they were supposed to be these kids' mentors.

 

~

 

"Milly, who did you get?" Theresa asked with a smile.

 

The blond Arabian princess looked up.

 

"M-Beatrix."

 

Theresa gave her a long look.

 

"You have to be careful," she said.

 

"Says the girl that almost called Tedros 'Dad'," Axel muttered with a dark scowl.

 

His sister gave him a glare.

 

"What's your problem?" she asked, her hand unconsciously going to her sword with her left hand.

 

Unlike her family, she was left-handed, something that gave her the upper hand in lots of sword fights (especially considering that she would occasionally trick someone into thinking she was right handed before switching to the left and finishing their duel).

 

"Nothing," Axel snapped.

 

Theresa sighed and shook her head.

 

"Whatever, Axe."

 

She shoved past him and he almost fell over.

 

Serenity settled him on his feet and the slim boy nodded, about to thank her, but Serenity was following Theresa.

 

Axel sighed.

 

He was always the outsider, the third wheel.

 

With Theresa and Tedros, Theresa and Serenity, their friend group in general...

 

He was just a background character in everyone else's lives.

 

Not important enough to have his own story one day.

 

He'd be lucky if he was even mentioned in Theresa's one day.

 

Probably be something like "-and the beautiful warrior princess saved her miserable, ugly wretch of a brother before swooping off to kiss her husband and dropping what's-his-face in the mud."

 

Because that was his life.

 

He wasn't important.

 

In times like these he always went to one of two people.

 

He turned around-

 

And there she was.

 

Agatha of Camelot, his mother.

 

She was just as awkward as he was.

 

And even now he couldn't turn to her.

 

Nobody cared.


	6. Chapter 6

The old and new Coven entered the classroom together.

 

"Ani, this is just like when we had those animal henchmen in first year," Hester whispered.

 

Hilda gave her mother a glare.

 

Anadil snickered.

 

"You were pretty good with that baby ogre. Had him potty trained and spitballing Evers," Anadil responded.

 

"Still can't believe you got that python to be friends with your rats, Ani."

 

"If that's all there is to parenting, we'd be great at it," Anadil said with an evil smirk.

 

"Raise then to be the next generation of Evil," Hester added, finding that she was smiling as well.

 

And then, as if thy had both suddenly realized they were discussing having kids (perhaps they had each thought together), they both turned a light red color and looked away.

 

Hilda growled internally.

 

They were so close! They just had to admit how they felt!

 

How hard could it be to just go and tell someone you liked them?!

 

Her parents were being wusses.

 

If she had a crush on someone, she would tell them immediately.

 

Of course she would.

 

To do otherwise would be silly.

 

Amber glanced at her sister and raised an eyebrow as if she could sense her twin's thoughts.

 

Before Amber could say anything, the professor entered.

 

Sheeba Sheeks.

 

Hilda glanced down at their class schedule and smirked.

 

This was the class she was most excited for.

 

Special Talents.

 

~

 

Agatha glanced at Axel and looked him up and down.

 

"So you're with me," she said.

 

Axel swallowed, trying to calm his nerves.

 

"Yeah."

 

He bet Theresa didn't get nervous.

 

She was just so perfect.

 

He sighed.

 

He needed to stop being so petty.

 

Maybe that was one way that he and his father were similar, at least.

 

Agatha nodded and then glanced up, looking distracted.

 

He took the chance to slip away.

 

When Agatha turned back around, he was gone.

 

~

 

Hester grinned as the professor told them about showing off their Special Talents.

 

She said something about not expecting everyone to have a talent.

 

She felt oddly smug and proud of Hilda as the girl smirked just like Hester did.

 

Dede grabs Dot's textbook and turned it into white chocolate.

 

Hester sighed.

 

"Do we really need another girl that has the power to become obese instantly?"

 

Dot slapped Hester's arm and glared with surprising vehemence.

 

Hester quieted and Anadil raised an eyebrow, glancing between the two.

 

Dede made a look of concentration and turned another small object into chocolate.

 

Dot clapped loudly, whistling happily.

 

Amber smirked and stood as she was called, making her way to the center of the room.

 

Her mice scurried around and responded to her mere thoughts before their final stunt.

 

The mice gathered together in a small circle before a bright light appeared.

 

When the light disappeared, the three mice had somehow become one, much larger, mouse.

 

It was only about a foot long, but it looked intensely menacing now.

 

Hilda whooped and cheered for her twin while Anadil smirked just slightly.

 

Nathan was next.

 

He stood and took a deep breath.

 

He tapped his foot as if to imaginary music.

 

After a moment, a loud crack sounded and a small animal appeared next to him.

 

Not just any animal.

 

A wolf.

 

When he tapped his foot again, there was another loud crack and the wolf grew a second head.

 

And then a third.

 

After the third, the wolf let out a loud howl and started to breathe fire.

 

Before it could, however, it puffed out in smoke and disappeared.

 

"Because that's just what Evil needs. A mini Cerberus that can't even last a minute," Sheeks said sully before pointing at Hilda.

 

"Mini Hester, you're up."

 

Hilda bristled.

 

She stood and gripped the desk and soon her demon tattoo twitched.

 

"Another copycat?" Sheeks said, but she fell silent as the tattoo didn't remove itself from Hilda, but instead stretched thin over Hilda's whole body.

 

Sheeks raised an eyebrow and smirked.

 

"Now there's an interesting one," she mulled quietly.

 

"My name isn't 'Mini Hester,' it's Hilda."

 

Hilda smirked smugly and tossed her twin a wink.

 

Amber rolled her eyes and she shook her head.

 

"Whatever, Hil," she responded.

 

Her mice scurried across their table and came close to Hilda's hands.

 

Hilda scooped one up and dropped it on her shoulder.

 

Hester raised an eyebrow as the second mouse, Theodora, laid down on her shoulder, nuzzling her neck.

 

Hilda prided herself on being mostly emotionless, like Hester, but she found herself smiling just slightly at her twin.

 

Hester stared at them for a long moment and then glanced at Anadil.

 

She wondered if she could ever be that close to Ani...

 

But the idea of being like sisters with Anadil made her feel uncomfortable, however.

 

She did like the idea of being closer with Anadil, however.

 

Hester wasn't sure why she felt all... weird at the idea.

 

Anadil looked up and met her gaze.

 

She could tell she was thinking something much the same.

 

The idea made her really excited.

 

(Not that she would let that show. She had dignity and a reputation to uphold, after all).

 

Hilda and Amber avidly watched their mothers as they had weird, emotionally charged eye contact.

 

Hilda wondered if this might be taken care of faster than expected...

 

But as they looked away from each other, both having narrowed eyes and a small blush on their faces, she sighed.

 

They were so annoying with this 'will they or won't they' thing.

 

She thought that whole thing was silly.

 

~

 

Milly nervously ran a hand through her hair.

 

What if her mother somehow figured it out?

 

That didn't seem possible, but when Beatrix was inquisitive and determined... well, there's a reason Milly was stubborn enough to make a mule bow its head in shame... and pigheaded enough to wear down a mountain with one look.

 

She took a deep breath and steeled herself.

 

Her mother, the blond one, walked over and looked her up and down.

 

She stood tall, prim and proper, and gave her best princess smile that Beatrix herself would teach her in about fifteen years.

 

Beatrix seemed slightly impressed, but she just raised an eyebrow.

 

Beatrix's hair was about her own's length, but that wasn't a surprise. Ever since Beatrix has cut her hair in their second year, she'd kept it short.

 

Milly silently rejoiced in the fact that she wasn't like Hilda, looking just like her mother.

 

Hilda or Amber, she meant.

 

Of course.

 

Not just Hilda.

 

Not like she had that Never on her mind or anything.

 

"Are you Milly?" Beatrix asked.

 

She nodded her head properly.

 

Beatrix had told her that she didn't want her to ever be the stereotypical popular girl like she was, but she had taught Milly the game anyways.

 

Just in case.

 

Milly didn't enjoy playing the 'game' as her mother called it, but she certainly was good at it.

 

Beatrix nodded and motioned for Milly to follow her.

 

She did so and walked beside her.

 

Beatrix raised an eyebrow.

 

"I expect you already have your eyes on a prince your own age?" Beatrix asked.

 

Milly stumbled.

 

A prince?

 

She hadn't noticed any.

 

The only prince she knew was Axel, but she suspected the younger version of her mother wouldn't call that a real prince.

 

She thought for the right thing to, so she just decided to tell the truth.

 

"No."

 

Beatrix raised an eyebrow and that small, almost smirk played on her lips.

 

"Really? I thought every princess did when they started school," she said.

 

Milly wondered if she'd made a tactical mistake.

 

"A prince is a distraction anyways," she said.

 

Beatrix smirked and soon she was chuckling.

 

"You've already learned what took me a year in the School for Girls."

 

Milly let out a sigh and relaxed slightly.

 

They walked past Theresa and Tedros, the two already talking about swords and undoubtedly scheduling a duel, and Milly gave a subtle thumbs up.

 

Theresa met it with her own and gave her a grin.

 

Her smile was a mix of the perfect princess one taught at school and the princely grin that she had copied from her father at a young age.

 

It was an odd mix, but it was undoubtedly pretty, something proved by the fact that not one but two princes walked into a wall.

 

One princess even stared at her for a moment before realizing it was a girl in armor and not a boy and looking away with wide eyes and a bright red color on her face.

 

"They better not be letting her into the sword fighting class. They don't let any girls in that class."

 

Beatrix sounded annoyed and a bit petty, but Milly was used to her mother sounding like that.

 

"I don't know. I've seen her and she's pretty good."

 

Beatrix raised an eyebrow and looked her over.

 

"Remember, that's a princess."

 

Something about Beatrix's tone made Milly feel like it was something she had to remind herself of everyday.

 

Was it?

 

Why would she think that so often?

 

Milly didn't have the time to think that over, but she put it in a file to save for later.

 

~

 

Nathan stared across the bridge with a sigh.

 

Serenity was over there.

 

The girl of his dreams.

 

She was smart and funny, beautiful and sweet...

 

She was a mix of her mothers, both of which had made one of his father's drool and almost never have Nathan.

 

One couldn't blame him for having a crush on her when she was so perfect.

 

He found himself missing another Ever as well.

 

Axel.

 

They were best friends.

 

He was the only one that really understood what it felt like to be overshadowed by everyone else.

 

Nathan grew up amongst the greatest Evers and Nevers in the Endless Woods and their kids.

 

He never knew how to live up to the expectation and, to make matters worse, it seemed like everyone else did. Everyone but Nathan.

 

Hilda and Amber perfectly embodies their mothers with their evil smirks and witchy cackles, not to mention their special talents that far surpassed any others at their age.

 

Theresa was already a blade master that could defeat practically everyone in the Endless Woods.

 

Dede was happy and cheerful as her mothers and somehow felt none of the stress to live up to anything.

 

Milly was already a genius when it came to Ever politics and she already had all the animals in the Endless Woods at her beckon call.

 

Serenity was quick as a whip, beautiful as the sunrise, and somehow in Good.

 

And then there was Axel and Nathan, neither of which could live up to what their fathers had done.

 

And so sometimes t felt like it was them against the world.

 

Nathan shook his head and turned around to find a younger version of his father giving him a beaming smile.

 

"You did so well with your talent! I couldn't do anything more than grow a chest hair my first time!" Hort said with enthusiasm.

 

"But Hilda and Amber did better," Nathan grumbled.

 

"Yeah, they were pretty cool. But you did your best and it's clear you've been working on it. I'm sure you'll be able to dominate this year at the Circus of Talents with just a bit of work! Maybe I can even help!" Hort said it all with the same exuberance he always emitted, even in the future.

 

Nathan found himself smiling.

 

"You really think so?" he asked quietly.

 

Hort nodded.

 

"If you work hard, then definitely."

 

For once, Nathan didn't compare himself to his friends.

 

They were special and talented, but he could be too.

 

Maybe not in the same way, and maybe not nearly as powerful, but he could be better.

 

Who knows how far he could get if he stopped worrying about what others did and focusing how he did.

 

Hort could see that he was growing more and more confident and grinned wider.

 

"That's the spirit, Nathan!"

 

Even if Hort didn't know why, his words truly had left an impact on Nathan.


	7. Chapter 7

Theresa popped her neck and prepared for the first day of school tradition.

 

Unlike the Nevers, the Evers prepared for the first day of school ceremony instead of having classes.

 

She had spent the first half of the day with Tedros.

 

They had started with sword training.

 

He started out with an insultingly easy practice before she'd pompously turned around.

 

"How about we just have a duel?"

 

She smirked as his eyes widened.

 

He'd had that same look when five-year-old her had requested to learn the sword.

 

"I'm not sure if you're ready for that-"

 

"You scared?"

 

Theresa knew exactly how to goad her father into a fight considering she spent a fair portion of her time doing so.

 

Tedros raised his practice sword and stepped forward.

 

Theresa smirked as he attacked first.

 

He always did.

 

She parried his first thrust and struck with lightning speed, almost stabbing his stomach.

 

He blocked at the last second and looked up at her.

 

She wasn't as strong as the boys her age, but what she lacked in pure muscle she made up for with brains in speed.

 

That was the part of her mother that actually helped with sword fighting.

 

Tedros attacked again and she blow after blow before striking like a viper.

 

She jabbed at his chest and, as he went to block it, she changed directions at the last moment and hit his stomach.

 

He stumbled back and almost fell.

 

She supposed this wasn't quite fair as she knew all his best moves and he had no idea what her weaknesses were, but she took joy in her accomplishment anyways.

 

"How'd you learn that?" Tedros asked in a shocked turn.

 

Theresa smirked.

 

"I had a good teacher."

 

He raised his sword again and attacked.

 

He came too forcefully and she easily sidestepped, making him unbalanced and not ready for when she stabbed him in the back.

 

"Always keep your balance on your back foot. That's the first thing yo-," she coughed, "my dad taught me."

 

Tedros frowned and considered the advice.

 

"I've never heard that before."

 

Theresa silently made a reminder to not tell Serenity that she had just effective taught her dad what her taught her in the future.

 

They went a few more rounds until they were both on equal footing.

 

Theresa taught Tedros a few of her, meaning his own, tricks.

 

Her brain started to hurt when she considered the paradox, but she pushed it from her mind.

 

By the end, the two of them were each winning half of the time, no more and no less.

 

Tedros finally stopped and wiped his brow.

 

He grinned.

 

"Never met someone that could keep up with me," he said.

 

Theresa laughed.

 

"Never met a girl that could use a sword before either," he marveled.

 

"Like I said, my dad taught me."

 

Tedros nodded.

 

"I want to have a son one day. Show him everything I know."

 

Theresa bristled.

 

"Why not a daughter?" she found herself asking.

 

Tedros looked up and a light glowed in his pristine blue eyes.

 

"Why not a girl..." he muttered before turning back around.

 

Theresa had always felt out of place.

 

She would never let her brother hear this, because he seemed to look up to her and she didn't want him to see her flaws, but she always felt like she had to live up to Tedros.

 

She was his first child and a girl.

 

In almost every kingdom, she wouldn't be allowed to inherit the throne.

 

But, upon her birth, her father had changed the law.

 

That meant she didn't just have to live up to the greatest king in the Endless Woods, but she also had to show that women deserved the right to rule.

 

She felt like she wasn't just representing Evers, but also women everywhere.

 

Perhaps she was being a bit full of herself, she would be quite prone to that considering who her father was, but that's how she imagined it.

 

She had told herself that she had to be perfect, just the perfect lady.

 

But every time she tried that, she failed.

 

She couldn't walk in heels and every time she wore a dress she would trip and tear it.

 

She skinned her knees and almost broke several bones climbing trees.

 

One day, she had seen her father dueling three of his knights at once.

 

It had instantly captivated her.

 

She had asked her father to teach her as soon as he was done.

 

By the end of the day, she was in breeches and a loose shirt and wielding a sword with confidence (even if that could have been a false sense of one at the time).

 

She had never felt at home when she tried to be a lady, but apparently she was right in her element being everything she shouldn't be.

 

She decided that, since she couldn't be the proper lady, she could be the proper warrior.

 

She shook her head and turned back to the matter at hand.

 

"So what is the opening ceremony?" she asked.

 

Tedros turned around, his shirt already off as he changed.

 

She shielded her eyes at the sight of her father.

 

"Please refrain from undressing in front of me," she said quickly.

 

Tedros turned red and hurriedly changed shirts.

 

He had never felt weird about being shirtless in front of someone, other than Agatha.

 

But this was different.

 

This wasn't self conscious about what the girl would think, but...

 

Different.

 

He shook his head and turned back to the girl.

 

He ran a hand through his hair and saw her doing the same.

 

Odd.

 

"Sorry. The opening ceremony is where all the princes," he paused and glanced at her, "plus you, I guess, showcase their sword fighting before throwing their rose into the crowd for a princess to catch. It's a time honored tradition."

 

Theresa snickered and shook her head.

 

"I think I'll refrain from throwing a rose."

 

Tedros glanced at her and laughed.

 

Theresa didn't have her eyes on anyone in particular and didn't intend on having a crush anytime soon.

 

She had important things to do, namely not failing at being the heir to the throne of Camelot.

 

There was a loud chime and Tedros looked up.

 

He turned around to look at Theresa with a grin.

 

"It's time."

 

~

 

"Do we really need to go to this ceremony?" Hilda grouched.

 

"Yeah, I just got away from those Evers and I'm not particularly looking forward to seeing them again," Amber added, "especially that nitwit princess."

 

Hester and Anadil glanced at them.

 

"You already know the Evers?" Hester asked.

 

At the same time, Anadil turned to Amber.

 

"Which princess?"

 

"We're... associated with a few of them, yes," Hilda said levelly.

 

"Theresa," Amber said, practically spitting out the name.

 

"Well, I'm excited! We're going to get to see them all again! See how...," she paused and glanced at the other Coven, "they're doing."

 

Hilda and Amber rolled their eyes at the same time and turned around.

 

Dede mumbled something about the twins being far too in sync before turning to talk to Dot.

 

"Yes, we have to go," Hester finally answered before turning and leading them to the ceremony.

 

~

 

Serenity followed her mother out of the Good castle.

 

She was paired with Kiko, an awkward situation for her.

 

She had given her the slip as soon as possible.

 

Kiko didn't seem intent on letting her go and soon popped up beside her from seemingly nowhere.

 

"Come on! With your looks I'm sure there's going to be lots of strapping princes that throw you their roses."

 

Kiko looked excited and Serenity raised an eyebrow.

 

She reminded her a lot of Dede, what a shocker.

 

"I don't really care," she said truthfully.

 

She had more important things than the shallow choices of the male population to deal with, namely making sure that she was born.

 

She hadn't seen her blond mother since getting here and was getting a bit worried.

 

What if they didn't meet for months?! Then what would she do?!

 

She could feel herself spiraling and took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves.

 

It worked partially and she got a hold of herself.

 

She was prone to panic attacks, occasionally.

 

She'd gotten that from Nicola, even if you never see that Ever waver, she certainly did internally.

 

She had started getting panic attacks when she was younger and everyone was wondering whether she was a Never or an Ever.

 

They wouldn't leave her alone wherever she went and she started to have an identity crisis at the ripe age of eight.

 

She started to wonder if one of her parents would love her less if she wasn't on their side.

 

Both of them had come to comfort her when they'd figured out what was wrong, but it still made her nervous to this day.

 

Especially considering she was an Ever and, should she have an angry mother, she would have a petty and wrathful Sophie on her hands.

 

~

 

Both schools were situated on opposite sides of the hall and were in a heated debate about who was better, Evers or Nevers.

 

Neither side could ever truly win considering they would never be able to sway the other side to their way of thinking.

 

Amber and Hilda looked around for their friends, wondering if they'd somehow already messed everything up.

 

"I bet that stupid princess already blew everything. Probably ran up to her daddy screaming about how scared she was."

 

Hilda raised an eyebrow and looked at Amber.

 

She knew her twin always looked for a reason to taunt or insult Theresa, but that really wasn't realistic.

 

"This Theresa, you hate her?" Anadil asked.

 

Hester looked over with a vaguely interested expression that nobody but her family would have recognized as such.

 

"Y-um-I... it's complicated."

 

Their mothers both raised an eyebrow each.

 

Hilda stepped in.

 

"We've known each other our whole lives. It's hard to hate someone you've been 'friends' with for that long."

 

Hester and Anadil didn't seem completely convinced.

 

Amber pointed looked away from her parents and sister, finding that her eyes landed on the stage as she tried to avoid their gazes.

 

Just then, there were loud boots off to the side of the stage.

 

The Ever side.

 

Amber, having forgotten the ceremony she had been warned about from both of her mothers several times (and completely ignored and instead focused on ways she could prank or mess with Theresa), frowned and looked at the doors with confusion.

 

The door was suddenly flung open and several practically drooling princesses stared excitedly at those entering.

 

Amber couldn't care less about the princes, but their sword fighting interested her.

 

She hoped one got stabbed.

 

She watched the swords with undivided attention, not even giving a spare glance to who was wielding them.

 

The boys were almost done when the door slammed open once again.

 

A boy with a dark helmet on had kicked the door open and held a sword in both hands with evident experience.

 

The princes all turned their attention to him.

 

So did Amber.

 

The bravest of he few sprinted forward at him and, even though he had on a helmet, she could swear he smirked.

 

He lifted the sword and moved with the speed and grace that only a cheetah could possess.

 

He disarmed prince after prince without a second thought.

 

Once all of the new princes had been shown the best among them, they all looked to their leader.

 

They clearly were waiting for him to throw his rose to the girl he would clearly claim to be his own on the first day.

 

That was a silly custom that Amber found sexist and-

 

He paused for a moment before he threw the rose into the air without a second glance.

 

Amber found her eyes watching as it flew through the air.

 

Princesses jumped for it, all wanting to have this mysterious boy's rose as their own.

 

It sailed over them and to-

 

Amber felt a rose slap her in the face and then tumble into her lap, right into her hands.

 

The prince took off his helmet-

 

And she was met by familiar curly, fluffy blond hair.

 

Theresa.


	8. Chapter 8

The princes and princesses stared with shock at Theresa as the blond princess ran a hand through her hair.

 

She gave them all a beaming, mischievous grin.

 

"What are you louts waiting for? These lovely ladies are patiently awaiting their roses and you're just standing there!"

 

The boys were instantly brought back to reality and threw their roses at the princesses.

 

Several girls didn't catch the roses as they just stared at the prince they had all been daydreaming about dating that had turned out to be...

 

A princess.

 

But there was nobody more shocked than Amber as she looked down at the rose still sitting in her hand peacefully.

 

It had soared over dozens of princesses just to find its way to her.

 

It was almost as if she was a magnet and it a piece of metal.

 

Theresa glanced around and her eyes landed on Amber.

 

She spotted her rose gripped lightly in her fingers.

 

She could tell it was hers because she had gotten the one the color of blood while all the boys had gone for the pink ones that would undoubtedly please the princesses in the audience.

 

Amber glanced up and Theresa gave her a smirk.

 

Amber's face turned the color of her rose and she looked down, not wanting to meet the princess' gaze for unknown reasons.

 

"Who's that?" Hester asked as she watched the sword-wielding princess stride down the steps with a confident saunter.

 

"That's Theresa," Hilda responded.

 

She glanced at her twin and then at the rose.

 

She'd never seen Amber look so...

 

Well, however she looked right now!

 

~

 

Serenity and Milly both had healthy piles of flowers in their laps.

 

Molly found herself not interested in any of the boys that had tossed her their roses.

 

Serenity was too busy looking for Sophie to care about all the princes that were giving her long looks.

 

~

 

Nathan glared at all the boys that were practically leering at Serenity.

 

He wanted to go over here and strangle them himself.

 

His eyes suddenly met dark brown ones and he was momentarily distracted.

 

He had made eye contact with Axel and the two silently communicated just how bored they were with this ceremony.

 

Axel had been the only prince not to participate in the sword fighting ceremony.

 

He was still sending glares at his sister as if this was somehow her fault.

 

Nathan had notice that he often blamed her for anything she did that upstaged him.

 

It didn't seem healthy, but, to be fair, Nathan had been doing that exact thing with his friends before that eye opening discussion he had with his dad.

 

He glanced back at Serenity and she wasn't looking anywhere near him.

 

Like always.

 

~

 

Theresa saw many princes staring at her with either anger or admiration.

 

There were even a few boys that were giving her the same looks they were giving Serenity (in fact, there were more than a few that looked like they might just start drooling. They'd obviously never met a girl that could wield a sword).

 

Castle and Pollux walked up to the stage and started to talk about rules, but the Ever side wouldn't shut up.

 

They were talking about her.

 

She took a seat beside Tedros and he gave her a grin.

 

"I think you made a name for yourself," he said.

 

She laughed.

 

Girls were either looking at her with jealousy for stealing the attention of the boys or Barry hidden anxiety for having been attracted to her while she had fought.

 

She was used to that kind of thing.

 

She'd always had trouble making friends with any girls outside of their friend group.

 

She'd always understood boys better.

 

She set her sword down and rested her left hand on it.

 

Tedros frowned and looked down at it.

 

"Are you left handed?"

 

She smirked.

 

She made a shushing sound and winked at her father.

 

"Don't tell anyone."

 

He laughed and got the stick-eye from Pollux.

 

"Is this even allowed?" a particular princess said a bit louder than the others.

 

Pollux sighed as he was interrupted yet again.

 

"Is what allowed?" he asked with pointed look at the girl.

 

"Her."

 

She pointed at Theresa and the princess met her gaze with a wink and her best grin.

 

The girl turned a bit red and looked away.

 

"There is nothing in the rules against it... but perhaps after this year there will be."

 

He said the last part quieter than the first and Theresa wondered if she was the reason she would have to fight to be allowed to enter the sword fighting class in the future.

 

That made her brain hurt and she shook her head.

 

Tedros laughed and looked at Theresa, already considering her like one of his mates.

 

She was different from the other girls and he couldn't help but be excited to have a chance to have a friend that could keep up with his sword fighting.

 

Someone that could fight at his side without falling behind.

 

The idea was intoxicating to the young boy and he found himself grinning even wider.

 

There was the shuffling of loud clumps and he looked up at the familiar sound.

 

Agatha.

 

She plopped down on the chair he'd saved for her.

 

"Sorry I'm late. Got a little distracted."

 

Tedros just gave her a small smile and looped an arm around her shoulders.

 

She stiffened for a moment, but soon she relaxed under his touch.

 

Theresa raised an eyebrow.

 

They seemed as close as ever... but she did remember the bump start her parents had had in their relationship and how they had almost not ended up together.

 

They would fight constantly just around this time...

 

She sighed.

 

Tedros glanced at her and raised an eyebrow.

 

She shook her head as if to say that nothing was wrong.

 

He nodded and then turned back to what Castor and Pollux were saying... even if he wasn't truly listening to a word.

 

He often pretended to listen like that, even in the future.

 

Theresa almost laughed at the familiar expression.

 

She glanced over and saw her brother sitting beside Agatha.

 

She gave him a grin and he looked away.

 

She frowned.

 

What was up with him lately?

 

Ever since they'd been sent back in time he'd been acting all weird.

 

She shrugged and quickly diagnosed him with TTBS.

 

Typical Teenage Boy Syndrome.

 

She smirked at her own cleverness and didn't notice the form across the hall glaring vehemently at her.

 

~

 

Amber had the rose in her hand, gripping it as if it was a neck she was trying to strangle instead of a flower.

 

She was still glaring at Theresa.

 

What was that girl thinking?!

 

Throwing her flower to Amber?!

 

She suddenly wondered if it had been an accident.

 

For some reason that made her feel... weird?

 

Somewhat... bad?

 

She shook her head angrily and debated ripping the flower to shreds.

 

She almost did, but paused the second before she would have viciously destroyed it.

 

For some reason she just... couldn't.

 

She growled and found herself slipping it into her pocket.

 

Hilda frowned thoroughly at the action and she ignored her sister.

 

She wasn't being weird.

 

Of course not.

 

~

 

Serenity suddenly saw a flash of familiar blond hair at the side of the stage.

 

She sat up quickly and waited for another glimpse.

 

About a minute passed before she got what she wished.

 

Castor and Pollux introduced the deans.

 

Clarissa Dovey... and Sophie of Woods Beyond.

 

She gave her best smile and Serenity found it achingly familiar.

 

She had always taken comfort in that smile whenever she saw it.

 

It was like a glimpse of home in this desolate desert.

 

Sophie gave a short speech about how amazing this year was going to be and ended it by announcing her another No Ball.

 

Serenity's heart sped up.

 

That was her chance.

 

She just had to get Sophie and Nicola to go to it together and everything would work itself out...

 

But how would she convince either of them to do that?!

 

She wasn't sure.

 

But part of a plan was better than no plan at all, she supposed.

 

She was pretty sure she'd heard Nicola say that at least once (probably before doing something dangerous and slightly idiotic).

 

Sophie then did a curtsy and blew a few kissed before striding from the stage.

 

Hester and Anadil let out loud boos and she glared at them.

 

~

 

The ceremony ended soon after and both Schools were excused from the hall.

 

Amber couldn't be more ready to get out of there.

 

Stupid Theresa and her stupid flower.

 

She should throw it out, rip it to shreds.

 

It stayed safely in her pocket.

 

Hester was already leading the two Covens to their next class.

 

Hilda slowed down slightly to check on Amber.

 

"You okay? You were acting kinda off back there."

 

Amber nodded.

 

"I'm fine."

 

She said it too quickly, making her twin more than a bit suspicious of her.

 

But Hilda didn't say a word.

 

She'd get it out of her sister sooner or later (most likely sooner considering how well she knew her twin).

 

~

 

Theresa walked beside Tedros and grinned.

 

"What's next?" she asked.

 

Tedros glanced at the schedule.

 

He grinned as well.

 

"Sword fighting."

 

She rubbed her hands together in excitement.

 

She'd been waiting practically her whole life to go to a School for Good sword fighting class.

 

She heard they had the best teacher in the whole Endless Woods, though she doubted it.

 

Her father was the best she'd ever seen and she'd heard he'd beat the teacher in a duel (though, to be honest, that was a rumor she'd once heard and had no idea if it was true or not).

 

She gave her brother a parting look and a squeeze on the arm.

 

He shook her hand off and she glared at him, silently asking what his problem was.

 

He looked away and strode off with Agatha.

 

She growled and looked back at her father.

 

Normally they would share a look of confusion whenever Axel would do something they didn't understand, but this time Tedros didn't notice.

 

Of course he didn't.

 

He didn't know that Axel was his son.

 

They hadn't even really spoken yet.

 

She wondered for a moment if that could be upsetting Axel, but before she could truly consider it, they were already in the tower with the sword training and she felt excitement fill her up.

 

She couldn't wait to finally do this.

 

Tedros gave her a grin and, for just a second, his face changed into the one she remembered.

 

She saw the slightly older man (though to be fair he wasn't older than thirty-three in her time. Yes, all their parents had had them young, but that was quite typical) with a bit of a scraggly beard and playful blue eyes with only a few more years of experience.

 

She saw her father, the real version of him, inside of this Tedros.

 

She grinned wider.

 

The second ended and he was left with just a young, slightly foolish Tedros that she had just met.

 

But that moment had made everything more real for her.

 

She wasn't sure why, but it seemed important.

 

~

 

Axel glanced over his shoulder at his sister and father.

 

She was glaring at him and he couldn't meet her gaze any longer.

 

He felt guilty.

 

This was petty.

 

He shouldn't be holding a grudge.

 

It wasn't her fault she was just so undeniably perfect in so many ways.

 

It wasn't her fault that Evers and Nevers alike, boy and girls even, had been staring at her during her showcase of talent and strength.

 

It was just his fault.

 

He couldn't do anything right.

 

Before he could go any further into his self-deprecating thoughts, he was pulled out by his mother's voice.

 

"Axel, are you not in the sword fighting class?" she asked.

 

He shook his head.

 

She grinned slightly.

 

"Good. I always thought it was overrated anyways."

 

His spirits soared.

 

That's right.

 

He didn't have to be great at the sword.

 

There were other things in life.

 

He found himself grinning as he walked by his mother's side, his hope restored, if only slightly.


	9. Chapter 9

Theresa followed Tedros into the classroom.

 

It was wide and had several small fields for duels.

 

There were a few chairs lining the walls, but most of the room was filled with the dueling fields and small armory stations for students to put their swords.

 

It smelled like sweat and hard work, but Theresa grinned at the smell.

 

Nothing could bring her spirit down now that she was finally here.

 

Everything was perfect in here.

 

That is until the teacher turned around and frowned a she watched her.

 

"Princess, I believe that this is the wrong classroom. Beautification is in the Purity Tower."

 

Tedros snorted and before Theresa could speak, he threw an arm around her shoulders like he often would in the present.

 

"I think she'll fit in better here."

 

There were several princes watching from around the room, glancing from Theresa to Tedros.

 

He frowned and raised an eyebrow.

 

"In that case, why don't you give the class a demonstration?"

 

He threw his coat off and stepped into a dueling field, holding his sword aloft and staring at her.

 

She found herself smirking and she drew her sword with her right hand.

 

"Gladly, Professor," she said with a cocky tone.

 

He raised an eyebrow at her confidence as she practically strutted into the arena.

 

She raised her sword and beckoned for him to start.

 

A clear sign that she was confident of her own abilities.

 

He bristled at that and came forward with a small glare on his face.

 

All their classmates surrounded them and watched with wide eyes.

 

Theresa felt her fear starting to grab hold of her.

 

What was she doing?!

 

She was barley allowed to join the class because she was a girl and she was already challenging the teacher to a duel!

 

There was no way she could win!

 

That's when her eyes met Tedros'.

 

He gave her a confident grin looking as if he was completely certain that she would out stage this professor.

 

That was the same look he always gave her before she fought against a particularly talented knight or guard.

 

And she always won.

 

She grinned and looked back at the professor that was stalking toward her with a slight scowl on his face.

 

He swung his sword almost leisurely as if expecting that she would fold immediately.

 

She did nothing of the kind.

 

She actually fell to the ground just underneath the sword and kicked out, sweeping his legs out from under him.

 

She went to put her sword to his throat, but he rolled and hurried to his feet with slightly wide eyes.

 

He thrust his sword at her an she parried.

 

They continued this pattern for a minute until the professor smirked, obviously sure he was going to win.

 

He stabbed at her and, instead of parrying, she threw her sword in the air.

 

She twirled like a dancer until she was behind his back and triumphant caught her sword by the hilt with her left hand.

 

She had yet to use it in this fight.

 

The professor whirled and she instantly started an onslaught of attacks.

 

She had him backed up in the corner of the field and going as fast as he could to block her myriad of attacks.

 

Her change in attack lasted for about thirty seconds before she disarmed him and held her sword to his throat triumphantly.

 

The professor stared at her with wide, disbelieving eyes.

 

"You're left handed?" he asked quietly once he had found his voice.

 

She grinned and nodded, slipping her sword into its sheath and turning to give Tedros a smirk.

 

He was also smirking and she felt herself fill up with pride.

 

She'd done it.

 

She'd beaten him.

 

And to think she'd almost given up before she'd even started.

 

The princes all stared at her and she grinned.

 

The professor scooped up his sword as she walked back over to Tedros.

 

The professor tried to gather his dignity while beginning to teach.

 

Theresa stayed silent and calm, allowing the professor to lecture them about proper form as both the first and fourth years listened.

 

She didn't interrupt or disrespect him despite having berated him in combat.

 

When he realized them to practice form, Tedros and Theresa talked and laughed in the corner while pretending to work.

 

The professor didn't say anything to them and Theresa took that as silent permission for them to continue.

 

As their time in class wound down, he told each of them to pair up with their mentor and have a two on two group with another pair.

 

Theresa and Tedros found no challenge in two and were soon challenged with four, then six, right, and so on until it seemed as if the whole class was against them.

 

They worked as one, both giving commands to the other.

 

"Parry right!" Theresa called.

 

"Watch your left!" Tedros responded.

 

"Switch!" both of them said at the same time.

 

Tedros bent down and Theresa vaulted over his back easily, partying two swords at once and giving a wide grin as she watched her father do the same out of the corner of her eyes.

 

Soon, they had disarmed every student, first and fourth year alike, and were beaming at each other.

 

Tedros felt like he'd finally felt someone that could keep up with him when he fought,

 

Chaddick and his mentor, whose name he hadn't caught, were the last to go down and Tedros' friend looked at him with a frown on his face.

 

Tedros and Chaddick had always been close, but they had just been... on different levels.

 

Tedros felt like he had finally met another person that could fight like he could.

 

Someone he could rely on and not have to protect constantly.

 

It was exhilarating.

 

Theresa sheathed her sword with a dramatic twirl of the hilt and Tedros laughed, doing the same, but slightly more intricate.

 

"Show off," she said with a laugh.

 

Tedros smirked.

 

"Pot calling the kettle black," he said.

 

"That's the smartest thing I've ever heard you say," Theresa responded just as evenly.

 

Tedros laughed and looped an arm around her shoulder as they left for their next class.

 

~

 

Axel followed Agatha to Animal Communications.

 

He was not at all surprised that he was the only boy in the class.

 

Beside him sat Serenity and Milly.

 

Princess Uma was talking with animals in the distance and laughing every once in a while.

 

She told them about communicating with animals and how it could save their lives, but it would take time to learn their languages.

 

Milly frowned and raised her hand.

 

Princess Uma seemed surprised, but she called on her nonetheless.

 

"What do you mean by 'time'?" she asked, cocking her head to the side slightly.

 

Uma raised an eyebrow.

 

"It's like any language. Although, once you've learned one you can understand practically all of them."

 

Milly still looked confused.

 

Uma gave her a rather fake looking smile.

 

"You can't call animals to your aid now, dear, but I promise that at the end of this year, all of you will be able to call at least s bird."

 

Milly felt the Beatrix in her rising up inside of her.

 

She let out a loud whistle and Uma glanced at her.

 

There was a moment of silence before loud padded footsteps sounded.

 

Two beautiful golden wolfhounds burst in through the forest and skidded to a stop beside her.

 

She stroked its head and glanced up as birds swooped overhead and stared down at her, all chirping.

 

The wolfhounds in front of her was Gildy and Gordon.

 

She'd met the hounds about a year and a half ago when Milly .

 

They had been left alone in the Woods near Camelot, both mewling and alone.

 

She had taken them back home and nursed them back to health.

 

Ever since then, the two didn't leave her side (that is until they got sent back in time and she kept them away for safety until now).

 

The two wolfhounds laid down beside her, resting their heads in her lap.

 

A rabbit hopped from the woods and squeaked quietly to her.

 

She grinned and responded with a squeak of her own and the rabbit tittered and laid down beside Gildy.

 

Serenity and Axel both smirked at their friend's showcase of skill and Princess Uma stared at her in shock.

 

Milly gave her a grin and laid her hand on Gordon's head, stroking him gently.

 

Axel rolled his eyes as once again one of his friend's found their talent they were better at than anyone else while he was so boringly normal.

 

He just wanted to be able to be good at something for once.

 

Princess Uma glanced from Milly to Beatrix to Reena, both of which were sitting near her.

 

Milly shrugged and looked at her mothers.

 

Both of them looked impressed and she grinned smugly.

 

She had been excited to show the younger forms of her mothers her talent.

 

Princess Uma was still staring at her in disbelief.

 

Milly gave her an innocent smile and then turned to Axel.

 

He could tell she was smug and proud.

 

He frowned slightly.

 

He’d always been good at guessing people’s emotions... but this was different.

 

He gently set his hand on her.

 

He felt confusion as she glanced at him.

 

He felt sorry for the mission they were on and-

 

His eyes widened and he tried to probe that deeper, but Milly swatted his hand and glared.

 

“What are you doing?” she hissed.

 

“You... you have a crush,” he said with certainty.

 

Molly’s eyes popped.

 

“What?! No I don’t,” she hissed.

 

Axel had felt it, but he wasn’t sure on who.

 

She’d pulled away too quickly.

 

“Yes you do,” he said.

 

She blushed and looked away.

 

He could feel her embarrassment coming off of her in waves.

 

He turned around and looked at Serenity.

 

She was nervous and confused.

 

He knew there was more, but he knew that he would have to touch her to know the rest.

 

How he knew this... well, he wasn’t sure.

 

He guessed he knew in the same way that Hester knew her demon could come to life, or the way Dot knew she could turn things into chocolate.

 

He just did.

 

Axel found himself grinning.

 

He’d done it.

 

He’d found his talent.

 

Something he could do that nobody else could.

 

Suddenly, an idea popped out at him.

 

He needed to see Theresa.

 

~

 

As Axel walked by, he could feel the disbelief and slight concern from Uma.

 

He could feel Serenity’s awkwardness as she stood beside Kiko.

 

He wasn’t sure why that was, but for the moment he ignored that.

 

He had more important things to do.

 

“Where’s my sister?” He asked Agatha.

 

Agatha paused.

 

“Well, she must be with Tedros, so I assume that she would be headed to her room.”

 

Apparently, they’d finished their classes of the day.

 

Axel grinned.

 

“Perfect.”

 

He took off at a run, though his sprint was not impressive, toward where he assumed he’d catch up to Theresa.

 

~

 

Theresa heard familiar, clumpy footsteps.

 

Both she and Tedros turned around and looked.

 

Tedros clearly expected Agatha, but Theresa was sure this was Axel by his slow, leaping stride.

 

He skidded to a stop, almost falling over, and looked at his sister.

 

He didn’t wait a moment before he grabbed her wrist and held it tight.

 

She would have ripped her hand out of the weak grip of it had been anyone else but him.

 

~

 

Axel allowed her emotions to follow through him.

 

He felt pride and smugness, he should have guessed it.

 

Nothing underneath that.

 

He almost let go-

 

But he felt something stirring deep inside of her.

 

After a moment she burst with insecurity and anxiety.

 

She looked at him and her worry bloomed.

 

She looked around the room for someone attacking and her protectiveness flare.

 

He found himself bursting with joy.

 

She... cared that much?

 

The anxiety and doubt was palpable and he soon realized it was always there.

 

She was worried about living up to their father.

 

Just like he was.

 

Theresa realized there was no threat and grinned down at him.

 

How could she always be so happy with such worry and doubt?!

 

He noticed something familiar-

 

But she gently removed her wrist from his grasp and put it on his shoulder.

 

Her was left with just the surface emotions again.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

Axel finally understood.

 

Everyone worried about it.

 

He wasn’t the only imperfect one.

 

They all were.

 

Even Theresa.

 

He grabbed her in a tight hug and burrowed his face in her shoulder.


	10. Chapter 10

Amber stared down at the rose in her hands and tried to figure out why Theresa would throw it to her.

 

Probably just to mess with her.

 

And that smirk she'd flashed when she'd seen the rose in Amber's hands...

 

That was just because she'd pulled off a prank.

 

Obviously

 

And, even more obviously, it hadn't worked.

 

It hadn't affected her at all.

 

Nope.

 

That was why she was going to throw the rose away.

 

Right now.

 

Her hand kept stroking the rose.

 

She was going to throw it out right... now!

 

She didn't.

 

She just found that she couldn't.

 

She saw Hilda coming over and she shoved it into her pocket.

 

"I heard we're starting Surviving Fairy Tales tomorrow. Can't wait to mess with some Evers," she said with an evil smirk.

 

Amber smirked as well and her mice twittered in her lap.

 

They'd had lunch in their respective schools for the first day while getting acclimated to the new surroundings and it had just ended.

 

Dede turned around and looked at them fervently.

 

"They're coming," she whispered quietly.

 

Amber and Hilda both looked up and watched as they both their mothers coming.

 

The two walked in sync, just as they did in the future.

 

Hester had her evil scowl and looked distastefully at any that passed by.

 

One new Never dropped their pencil in front of them and went to pick it up, but as he saw the look on Hester's face, he paled and scurried away from her with his pencil lying on the ground long forgotten.

 

Hester didn't spare him another look as she and Anadil, plus Dot (but she wouldn't have given her a glance as she cheerfully greeted their fellow classmates, walking just a few steps behind them), walked toward their table.

 

Hilda threw his tray away and glared at Dede until she followed suit.

 

"But I wasn't done!"

 

"You can turn anything into chocolate. You're going to be fine," Hilda snapped.

 

Amber normally would have added onto what Hilda said, but she was preoccupied by running her finger up and down the rose in her pocket.

 

Hilda glanced at her and raised an eyebrow as if asking what was wrong.

 

Amber shook her head as if to say to not worry about it and Hilda nodded.

 

She strode up confidently to Hester.

 

She met her mother's cold gaze.

 

"What's next?" she asked.

 

Hester cracked the bare minimum of what could be considered a smile.

 

"Now you get your room."

 

Hester spun on her heel and the Covens, both old and new, followed after her.

 

~

 

Hester and Anadil walked close together, though not how Hilda and Amber were accustomed.

 

Usually they walked with about an inch between their shoulder, looking as if they were perpetually ready for a fight and would be prepared to protect each other.

 

Now they walked with their shoulders about four inches apart.

 

Hilda thought of a great way to fix their walking arrangement.

 

She hurried forward and walked beside Hester.

 

The hall was narrow and Hilda made sure to take up as much room as she could while still looking casual and talking to Hester.

 

The older tattooed witch was pushed up against the albino.

 

Anadil glanced down as their hands brushed.

 

Hester was busy with her conversation with Hilda and didn't seem to notice.

 

That is until her eyes just barely flickered to Anadil and then back again.

 

Hilda tried her hardest not to grin.

 

Dede was already tryin to talk up Kiko and be subtle about it.

 

"Do you have any Ever friends?"

 

Dot thought for a moment.

 

"Umm, I'm friends with Agatha. What about you?"

 

Dede got sidetracked for a moment.

 

"Yup! Four of them! There's Axel, he's really emo and always talks about how his dad doesn't like him. Oh! Then there's Milly, she's really good with animals, which is surprising considering how bossy she is. And Serenity... she's really nice. She's super nerdy, but like in a cool way. She's really fun to hang out with. And the last one is Theresa-"

 

"Can we please stop discussing that nitwit of an Ever?! I'm surprised she's smart enough to distinguish the two sides of her sword!" Amber snapped.

 

The old and new Coven looked at her, all of them appearing confused at her outburst.

 

Hilda glared at her as Hester and Anadil moved slightly away from each other.

 

Amber fell silent, her face turning lightly crimson.

 

Hilda made sure to get back into her strategic position beside her mothers.

 

Dot and Dede went back to and started talking about Evers.

 

"I always thought Kiko was a great character! She was always so faithful to her friends and never strayed from her beliefs," Dede said, glancing at Dot.

 

Hester scoffed.

 

"Even if those beliefs were stupid."

 

Dede's temper flared up.

 

It didn't happen often, but when it did she could even cow Hilda.

 

Just like her mom.

 

"Just because someone's beliefs are different from yours doesn't mean they're stupid, it just make YOU ignorant, A-Hester!" Dede had almost slipped and called Aunt Hester.

 

Hilda and Amber were staring at her.

 

After a moment, both of the younger witches and turned on their mother, glaring as well.

 

It took a lot to truly upset Dede and they always defended her when someone did.

 

Dede was meeting Hester's gaze levelly as if daring her to say something.

 

Hester looked away and muttered something under her breath.

 

Anadil turned as well and all of them advanced as a pack in silence.

 

"She might be on the other side, but she does had a good work ethic," Dot said softly after a moment.

 

Dede beamed and tried to hide it from her mother.

 

Hilda saw Hester's hand clenched into a fist and Anadil glancing at her.

 

She made her move immediately.

 

"T?" Hilda whispered.

 

"Read my mind," Amber responded coolly.

 

And with that, they executed plan T.

 

Amber stuck out her foot in front of her.

 

Hilda 'tripped' over it and stumbled into Hester and Anadil.

 

As the pair tumbled, Amber grabbed Hilda by the hand and pulled her right back to her feet as if they'd done this a million times before (and they had done it quite a few times, especially with Theresa... Amber had been the one to fake fall then and once Theresa had even beat Hilda to catching her. After that, Amber and Hilda had never done it again).

 

Hester bumped into Anadil and the two tumbled to the ground.

 

The albino flailed out and grabbed onto Hester, her rats squeaking as they dangled from her hair.

 

Hester reacted just as quickly, grabbing around the waist with one hand and throwing out her other one to catch them on the wall.

 

Anadil had her hands around Hester's neck and her legs were barely set against the ground, having had to stretch farther across the hall until they almost reached the halfway point, but they were giving her no support.

 

Hester's red-streaked hair dangled down in Anadil's face, but somehow did not obstruct her view of Hester's face only a few inches above her own.

 

Hester was holding her up and just staring at her for a long moment.

 

Amber and Hilda stood side by side and fist bumped behind their backs with perfectly straight faces.

 

They looked completely innocent, but Hester and Anadil didn't notice as they just looked at each other.

 

Dot went to go help, but Dede caught her arm.

 

"Hester might just kill you if you touch her," she said smoothly.

 

Hilda and Amber both sent her slightly surprised but impressed looks for her quick thinking.

 

Anadil stared at the concern on Hester's face as she made sure that she didn't fall. It made her stomach get a weird, churning sensation.

 

Hester watched as Anadil's hair cascaded down below her, almost touching the ground.

 

After about a minute, Hester pushed herself up off the wall and set Anadil back on her feet with surprising gentleness from the top Never.

 

The albino turned a dull pink color and looked away.

 

Hester didn't look at her, but Anadil kept finding her eyes drawn to the tattooed witch.

 

Hilda and Amber hung back after that, both of them quite proud of how they'd done so far.

 

Dede and Dot were still talking in the back and had gotten onto the topic of boys.

 

Dot was mooning over Hort and Dede awkwardly tried not to imagine Dot marrying her Uncle Horty that came over most weekends with his son to their meetings and always had some spare candy for her.

 

Dede changed the topic and got onto Nathan and Axel, speaking of how cute she found the former and how the latter had the hot 'brooding' thing going on.

 

Dot nodded immediately in agreement.

 

"That's always a plus," she said.

 

Hilda and Amber both made gagging sounds just as their mothers did.

 

They glanced at them and all of them broke into evil cackles together.

 

Hilda glanced at Hester and Anadil, finding both of them glancing at each other every once in a while before looking away pointedly.

 

It wasn't much, but she supposed that it was a start.

 

~

 

Serenity plotted how to get her mothers to meet, let alone fall in love, when she saw Kiko come prancing up.

 

She was suddenly reminded of something. Well, someone, that is.

 

Dede.

 

Serenity wasn't the only one with both a Never and an Ever for parents.

 

She had to help Dede make sure her parents fell in love as well.

 

So when Kiko came into Serenity's room (she was supposed to be sharing with Milly, but the girl was busy, likely trying to get her mothers together) and she had her room to herself, she said something she hated and never wanted to say ever again.

 

"Let's have some girl time."

 

She almost threw up as she said it, but it was out there and she just had to deal with it.

 

Kiko squealed in glee and clapped her hands.

 

She fell into the bed beside Serenity and gave her a wide grin.

 

The younger Ever had to remind herself that she was doing this for Dede.

 

~

 

Serenity had finally manipulated the conversation to where she wanted it to be.

 

Crushes.

 

Kiko talked about Tristan for a good eight minutes before Serenity got her off of the subject.

 

"I don't know... I've always preferred the Nevers myself. They have that whole edgy streak going on and it's exciting."

 

Kiko stared at her with wide, bulging eyes.

 

Serenity was lying to manipulate the conversation, of course.

 

Of course.

 

"But the Nevers scare me! Especially Hester!" Kiko looked over her shoulder as if she expected the witch to appear from the shadows at the mere mention of her name.

 

Serenity tried not to laugh at the irony that Kiko would be living with her in about fifteen years.

 

"Not all of them are scary. Dot seems pretty nice."

 

Serenity realized that was too on the nose and was about to say another not-so-scary Never, but Kiko was already grinning.

 

"Yeah, she isn't too bad. I can't believe she's even a Never at all. She must had a little bit of a wild streak somewhere... but she's so sweet and kind most of the time."

 

Serenity found herself smiling as well.

 

"Yup!"

 

Kiko stopped speaking for a moment and just went into a contemplative silence before she was suddenly off on some tangent about something Serenity honestly didn't care about.

 

~

 

Hilda, Amber, and Dede had been given their own room and the twins were trying their best to think up ways to get their parents closer together.

 

"Dede, you need to utilize the time at lunch because I think that's the only time they're together," Hilda said.

 

Amber seemed slightly distracted, her hand back in the pocket of her dress.

 

Hilda frowned in confusion.

 

What could be more interesting than ensuring their own existence?!

 

She shook her head and tried to think of every single terrible, horrible romantic setup she'd heard Evers swoon and moan about.

 

Her eyes lit up with a dangerous glint.

 

"I've got it."


	11. Chapter 11

"Don't worry, De. It's going to be fine."

 

"That's what you always say, Hil, and it always goes wrong!"

 

"Not this time!"

 

Amber was still a bit distracted by her rose in the pocket of her dress and tried to pay attention.

 

"Stop complaining, De," Amber said, taking her twin's side as per usual.

 

Dede sighed and watched with worried eyes as Hilda 'accidentally' knocked the latter over and allowed it to start a small fire in their room.

 

Dede knew she was going to regret this.

 

~

 

Nathan glanced between his two fathers as the two sat silently, both studying their textbooks side by side in the library.

 

Neither seemed to have acknowledged the other's existence more than a quick look when they had first sat down.

 

It was infuriating!

 

How was he supposed to get them to have him if neither of them ever spoke?!

 

~

 

The fire flickered and attached itself to the walls of the room with a vengeful passion.

 

The way it costed everything in sight was somehow a powerful message for the three witches.

 

It somehow jumped from one side of the room to the already torn up curtains to the other side.

 

They waited for another second before having Dede call out for help.

 

"Help! Somebody help!"

 

There was silence for a long moment and Hilda cursed the stupid Nevers in this castle.

 

Then she heard the full sound of boots.

 

Half a minute passed before three familiar forms appeared in the doorway.

 

Hester's demon detached from her neck and grabbed the one blanket that wasn't on fire, smothering the flames the best she could.

 

Anadil's finger glowed a bright green color and water fell from the roof a few feet above the fire and she helped Hester put the fire out.

 

Dot grabbed the three girls and herded them out of danger as quickly as possible.

 

The three witches had the flames under control in only a few moments and Hilda had to bite her lip to stop from smirking.

 

A support beam for the room fell and slammed against the floor with a sickening THUNK.

 

"What happened?!" Hester roared.

 

"Dede knocked the lantern over and started a fire."

 

"What?! I didn't knock it over!" Dede protested loudly.

 

Amber shook her head in disappointment.

 

"Dede, stop lying. We know it was an accident, but you have to deal with the consequences of your actions."

 

Dede looked at Amber with an expression of pure betrayal on her face.

 

When Hester, Anadil, and Dot looked away, both twins she her a quick apologetic look.

 

She looked away from them petulantly and crossed her arms in distaste.

 

"Come with me," Hester growled before stalking out of their, still smoldering, room.

 

The three followed after her.

 

Anadil stalked by her side, only a half step behind.

 

Dot hurried forward with a quick "Wait up, guys!"

 

They walked up two floors of winding stairs until they reached an overly decorated door.

 

At the top, a name was printed in pink, sparkly letters.

 

Dean Sophie.

 

Hester pushes the door open and glared at the three until they went in.

 

"These three burned down their room," Hester growled.

 

"On the first day!" Anadil added with a slightly disgusted and slightly impressed look on her face.

 

Hester looked much the same, but she was trying to cover it up.

 

Sophie turned around in her chair and stared at them.

 

Dede was instantly reminded of Serenity.

 

She needed to find a way to get those two to meet...

 

"Is it too destroyed for them to sleep in?" she asked, looking at Hester.

 

"We wouldn't be here if it wasn't," Hester snapped.

 

"And these are the ones you're supposed to be looking after?" she asked.

 

Hester nodded.

 

Sophie looked back down at her book (Beautiful Evil: Ten Steps To Make Your Scowl More Enticing To Princes).

 

"Then let them stay with you," she said simply.

 

Hester let out a loud "WHAT?!"

 

Sophie didn't look back up.

 

"You heard me, Hester."

 

"You nitwit we only have three beds!"

 

Sophie looked up, a dangerous glint to her eyes.

 

"You shouldn't talk to your Dean that way."

 

Hester's demon twitched irritably on her neck and Anadil set a gentle hand on her arm.

 

Her pale fingers barely touched her, but it was enough to get Hester's attention from Sophie to Anadil long enough for the albino to communicate silently that this would undoubtedly be a doom room visit if she played her cards wrong.

 

Hester took a deep, shuddering breath as she tried to calm herself.

 

"Fine," she growled out before spinning on her heel and stalking out like an irate cat.

 

The rest of them followed after her.

 

As they left, Amber and Hilda did another fist bump behind their backs at their perfectly executed plan.

 

~

 

Milly looked between her mothers.

 

They were doing everything together from classwork to eating.

 

But neither of them seemed to have the slightest interest in the other!

 

It was simply infuriating!

 

They acted just like every other friendship she knew.

 

They acted like her and Hilda or her and-

 

Beatrix's hand brushed against Reena's hand as she reached for her pencil.

 

Both of them froze for a second and they glanced at each other.

 

Beatrix looked at Reena's hand and Reena looked at Beatrix's.

 

Both of them seemed immobile due to disbelief.

 

Milly found herself grinning confidently.

 

Not quite friends after all.

 

Not quite like her and Hilda...

 

Not at all...

 

~

 

Theresa prepared to follow her father to his room as many students had been double bunked with their mentors.

 

But as the two went to his room, they were quickly stopped by a teacher.

 

Clarissa Dovey.

 

"Tedros, you know she cannot spend the night in your room!"

 

Tedros looked confused for a moment before his eyes suddenly widened.

 

"Oh, uh, we would never-I mean, I'm already engaged-but...," he took a breath, "You're right."

 

Both Tedros and Theresa were disgusted at the mere idea of anything going on between them.

 

"Come with me, Princess."

 

Tedros snorted and Theresa shot him a glance, the two of them locking eyes before rolling them in sync.

 

"We can switch you with... ah! Come along, dear."

 

~

 

Theresa was led down a few hallways before reaching another tower.

 

"You can switch with your brother for sleeping arrangements, I'm sure."

 

The dean didn't wait long enough for her to respond and instead turned to her brother and told him to follow her.

 

Theresa caught Axel's hand as he passed and gave it a quick squeeze before letting go.

 

She turned to the door and found s very familiar raven-haired girl standing there.

 

"Hi, I'm Theresa."

 

She held out her hand, but Agatha didn't take it.

 

"I'm Agatha."

 

She turned around and went back to her room.

 

Theresa saw that it was unoccupied and she had two open beds.

 

Theresa set her small bag on the middle one beside Agatha's.

 

"Your room's really nice. Especially compared to Tedros', his was a complete pigsty."

 

She let out a laugh and expected her mother to join in.

 

She didn't.

 

Agatha eyed her up and down.

 

"You were in his room?" she asked lowly.

 

Theresa shifted a bit uncomfortably.

 

"I mean, for about a second before Dovey came and got me."

 

Agatha continued to stare at her and Theresa ran a hand through her unruly, fluffy hair.

 

"Why?"

 

Agatha didn't answer and instead turned around to unpack her things.

 

Theresa frowned and went back to her own unpacking, feeling weirdly awkward.

 

~

 

"So you're the brother I've heard so much about," Tedros said as he eyed Axel up and down.

 

The short Ever tried not to feel intimidated by the younger form of his dad.

 

He could sense a bit of disbelief and humor and it made the hair on the back of Axel's neck stand up straight.

 

"We don't look very alike, I know," Axel said levelly as he threw his stuff down on the free bed.

 

"I don't know. Your eyes look similar."

 

Axel turned around and glared at him with said eyes levelly.

 

"Hers are blue, mine are brown. Are you color blind?"

 

Tedros shook his head and went to his own bed.

 

"I meant behind your eyes."

 

Axel frowned.

 

"What do you mean?" he found himself asking.

 

"I mean that you have the same look in your eyes. It's... nice."

 

Axel stared at his father for a long moment before tearing his eyes away from him and looking at his small bag of luggage.

 

~

 

Hester was still fuming when they got back to their room.

 

"Don't set this one on fire too!" she snapped at Dede when they got inside.

 

"Hester, that's not fair. I remember the time you almost set the library on fire," Dot said with a surprisingly confrontational tone.

 

"Your demon did shoot a fireball at a few books," Anadil conceded.

 

Hester growled and grumbled under her breath about something before throwing her stuff on her bed.

 

"Whatever," she finally said.

 

"Dot, can I share a bed with you?" Dede instantly asked.

 

The older witch nodded at her daughter and the two went to the corner of the room to talk in hushed voices about something unknown to everyone else.

 

"I am not sharing with one of those fire starters!" Hester snapped.

 

Anadil nodded in agreement and the two suddenly realized what that meant.

 

Anadil's face turned a light pink color and Hester turned around quickly.

 

Hilda and Amber gave each other smug looks before they headed for the center bed, normally occupied by albino.

 

Hester and Anadil both stood awkwardly at the former's bed for a minute before Hester growled and threw the covers off of it.

 

"We have early classes tomorrow. I can't be up all night, Ani."

 

And with that, the two witches both laid down on Hester's bed as if they did it everyday.

 

That wasn't far from the truth considering the future, Amber supposed.

 

Hilda and Amber both got into the middle bed easily, both used to having to share a bed occasionally back in the future when they went on trips.

 

Amber quietly slipped her rose out of her pocket and set it down on her bedside gently.

 

"Amb, go to sleep," Hilda mumbled as she pressed her head into her pillow.

 

Amber rolled over and set her head on Hilda's shoulder, falling asleep quite quickly.

 

When she did slip into a quiet slumber, she found herself dreaming of a minty scent and fluffy blond hair.

 

~

 

Hilda fell asleep with thoughts of that ceremony as well, though hers were pondering why someone had gotten so many roses.

 

~

 

Anadil tried to ignore where all she and Hester touched as they shared the small bed that really was only meant for one person.

 

She finally fell asleep at the corner of the bed and was resting peacefully.

 

Then the world started to tilt and she was awakened by an arm grabbing her around the waist and pulling her back onto the bed.

 

Hester grumbled in a tired haze as she pulled Anadil back onto the bed.

 

“Be careful, Ani.”

 

The albino instantly felt her face turn crimson.

 

She waited for Hester to let go, but she didn’t and shook she could hear Hester’s gentle snores.

 

She felt her heart hammering in her chest and simultaneously skipping a beat, something that sounded very much like an oxymoron.

 

Anadil fell asleep a few minutes later, surprised by how warm Hester felt behind her.

 

She slept better that night than she could ever remember.

 

~

 

“Why do you hate me?” Theresa finally asked, channeling the bluntness she’d inherited from her mother.

 

Agatha turned around.

 

“I don’t have you.”

 

“Fine! Then why are you so rude to me?” Theresa snapped.

 

Agatha was silent.

 

“Are you upset I was spending time with Tedros?” she asked.

 

Agatha nodded only slightly.

 

“Wait.. are you... jealous?!”

 

Agatha blushed just slightly.

 

Theresa laughed.

 

“Don’t worry, I would never-I mean... I’m not interested in Tedros in the slightest. Never would be,” she said with a beaming grin.

 

Agatha made an ‘o’ shape with her mouth.

 

Theresa didn’t notice and went along packing her things.

 

Agatha didn’t worry about it again.


	12. Chapter 12

Tedros watched as Axel sat down on his bed.

 

He wondered what was going on in that boy's head and he certainly would wonder again.

 

Axel was focusing on the emotions coming off of Tedros in waves.

 

He felt confused, awkward, a bit uncomfortable...

 

Axel smirked slightly.

 

This new talent really was helpful.

 

"So... what's your talent?" Tedros asked, clearly trying to start some kind of conversation with him to dispel the awkward silence in the air.

 

Axel looked up.

 

He'd told his sister and was planning to tell all his friends tomorrow at lunch, but he wasn't sure if he should tell Tedros.

 

A part of him said yes because this was his father, but another said no for precisely the same reason.

 

The former side won and he told him quietly.

 

"That's amazing! I've never met someone would can do that! Must make some things awkward, huh? A lot of people must not want to be around someone who can do that kind of thing."

 

Axel paused.

 

Theresa had been quite shocked when he had told her and she had given him a long, level look.

 

Then she'd pulled him into a long, bone-crushing hug while excitedly saying he'd found his talent.

 

So his sister was okay with it... but what about his friends?

 

What about Nathan?

 

They'd always been on the same side, but what if it make him uncomfortable to know Axel could sense what he was feeling (at least to an extent, to feel everything he had to actually physically touch hi ).

 

"Yes, I suppose people might be uncomfortable."

 

~

 

Amber woke up that morning and found herself blushing at something that must have happened in her dream.

 

She didn't remember exactly.

 

She could remember... the color yellow? But like, the color you could see someone have for hair.

 

She also remembered blue.

 

Pristine, intense blue.

 

She wished she could remember what it was.

 

She saw Hilda shifting where she slept and Amber shook her awake.

 

Hilda growled and shoved her face back in her pillow.

 

Amber pulled her up by the shoulders and then pointed across the room.

 

At Hester and Anadil.

 

The former was holding the latter around the waist and the albino was curled up against her.

 

Hilda and Amber made eye contact and smirked, both congratulating each other for their successful plans.

 

~

 

Anadil woke up to a warm form behind her and a familiar scent.

 

The smell of cauldrons and old spell books.

 

She recognized it.

 

It was the scent of Hester.

 

It was a familiar, comforting even.

 

She took a deep breath and enjoyed the smell for a second before realizing what she was doing.

 

And where she was.

 

Her eyes flashed open and she looked over her shoulder.

 

She caught sight of a sleeping Hester and turned a light pink color.

 

She slid out of the bed, moving Hester's arm off of her and onto the bed.

 

Hester grumbled in her sleep before rolling over and continuing to slumber.

 

Anadil let out a sigh and turned around to get ready-

 

Only to find the twins staring at her.

 

They were looking at her with small, evil smirks and the same expression on their faces.

 

They looked like they should be in a horror movie and asking her to play with them forever. And ever. And ever.

 

Anadil looked away from the two and started to get her things together.

 

~

 

The two Covens made their way to the dining hall.

 

As Anadil went to grab her food, she naturally grabbed a black coffee.

 

She slid it in front of Hester as the grouchy witch sat down.

 

She really wasn't a morning person.

 

Hester grunted her thanks before practically inhaling the drink.

 

Hilda wondered how she didn't burn herself.

 

Amber looked at her twin and the two both grinned.

 

Anadil would always get Hester coffee in the morning in the future, so it was a good sign she was doing it now.

 

Dede sat down beside Dot and the two continued to whisper about whatever they'd been talking about.

 

Hilda wondered if they were talking about them, but she didn't really care.

 

As long as Dede made sure she was born.

 

~

 

Dede thought the whole day about how to get Nicola and Sophie together.

 

She was taking the bet that Serenity was doing the same for her.

 

They'd always had a certain bond, having both been from parents on opposing sides of Good and Evil.

 

When she got to Cursed and Death traps, she let out an audible sigh as she saw Sophie at the front of the class.

 

She was clearly not used to this and soon assigned reading.

 

As she walked by, Dede made her move.

 

"Dean Sophie," Hester growled at the word 'Dean' and Dede ignored her interruption, "is there really going to be another No Ball this year?"

 

Sophie's face lit up.

 

"Why of course there will be! Nevers have just as much a right to find love as Evers!"

 

She went on about how she was planning to have a super glittery and fun party, but Dede stopped listening.

 

"Pfft. Nevers finding love," Hester said as she finished her pages.

 

Anadil glanced at her but didn't say anything.

 

Amber and Hilda, however, both whipped their heads around.

 

"Nevers can love," Amber said quickly, knowing her life might very well depend on what she said in the next minute.

 

Hester and Anadil both looked at her.

 

"Our parents are in love," Hilda said just as fervently.

 

"And we turned out quite Evil," Amber said with a smirk.

 

Hilda nodded and allowed her demon to twitch on her neck.

 

Hester stared at the two for a long moment.

 

"Mine are too!" Dede added.

 

Hester's eyes snapped to her and narrowed.

 

"Whatever," she finally growled out before turning around and starting a conversation with a blushing Anadil.

 

Hilda and Amber smirked at each other.

 

"Were they really?" Dot asked in a soft voice.

 

"Still are," Amber said with surprising comfort in her voice.

 

Dot started to grin slightly.

 

"That's... great."

 

Hilda quietly added that she at least hoped their parents were still together considering everything they were doing...

 

~

 

It was the second day of school and Serenity still had no idea what her talent was yet.

 

At least Axel didn't either.

 

At least that's what she thought until she got to lunch.

 

It was a nice clearing between the two schools and she found herself excited to see her Never friends.

 

She hoped none of them had messed up.

 

She could tell Dede that she was working with Kiko, trying to help the girl to look at Dot like she was an option.

 

She'd gotten the other Ever to talk about her on two separate occasions so far and she was quite proud of herself for that.

 

She took a seat at an open table and saw many princes looking her way.

 

She ignored them all and tried to find her friends in the crowd.

 

The next to arrive was Theresa.

 

She strutted up and was followed by a few princes, each holding the swords at their hips as if they should be ready to attack or defend.

 

One or two of them may have even started drooling when Theresa grinned at the sight of her cousin.

 

She practically flopped onto the seat beside Serenity.

 

"So, how's everything going?" she asked casually.

 

But Serenity knew what she meant.

 

And this conversation was precisely why she'd chosen a table in the corner of the clearing that would be mostly secluded from everyone else.

 

"Alright, I suppose. You?"

 

Theresa shrugged.

 

"Seems pretty stable so far."

 

Serenity nodded and glanced up.

 

She saw Nathan coming toward them with him weasel grin.

 

He moved to sit beside her, but suddenly Dede was there.

 

"Serry!" she said happily, giving her a tight hug.

 

"I was worried about you!"

 

Again, she could tell they weren't talking about their days at school.

 

Serenity returned the hug and whispered in her ear.

 

"I'm trying to help with Kiko."

 

Dede grinned and informed her about her work with Sophie.

 

Serenity found herself smiling more than she should be at the news.

 

Perhaps it was because of the infectiously excited way that Dede gave it.

 

The witch sat down beside Serenity and Nathan frowned.

 

He was pushed to the side, again, and took a seat beside Dede.

 

Axel sat beside him and gave him a small smile.

 

The prince frowned and looked from Nathan to Serenity.

 

The Never had a crush on her.

 

He could feel it.

 

It felt... weird.

 

Sure he'd felt that Milly had a crush, but this somehow seemed different.

 

Speaking of Milly, she took the seat beside Axel and gave him a kind smile.

 

The two started up a conversation, but it was interrupted as the final two members of their group appeared.

 

Dede had ran ahead to get to their friends quicker, but those two would not be seen sprinting to see friends.

 

They were above such things.

 

Hilda took the seat beside Milly and the only one left was beside...

 

Theresa.

 

Amber ground her teeth and took the seat beside her twin, not looking at the princess beside her.

 

Theresa was not an easy person to ignore, however.

 

She was soon talking loudly and gestured dramatically with her hands.

 

She was discussing something with Serenity, Nathan, and Dede.

 

Suddenly, Nathan said something and Theresa burst out laughing.

 

It was a giggly laugh like most of the princesses.

 

No, hers was loud and filled with joy that could not be faked no matter how hard one would try.

 

Amber glanced at her, catching the way she threw her head back in laughter.

 

She looked away quickly and definitely did not stroke the flower in her pocket.

 

She tried to distract herself with her twin, but she was talking with Milly.

 

Theresa had told her about how she'd set their room on fire and the other girl was grinning.

 

"That's pretty clever, actually."

 

Hilda glared at her.

 

"You act as if I'm not always."

 

Milly raised an eyebrow.

 

"I still remember the time you jumped off the roof with an umbrella, claiming that you could fly."

 

Hilda's pale cheeks blushed slightly and she glared at the other girl.

 

"But I bet I can fly. Just need to practice my talent some more."

 

Milly laughed, hers far more subdued than Theresa's, but still filled with merriment.

 

"Just don't go throwing yourself off a roof this time."

 

Hilda huffed and rolled her eyes, but she glanced at Milly as she laughed again.

 

Axel watched everyone at the table with a look of understanding.

 

He could feel it.

 

All of them.

 

He could feel Nathan's attentiveness as he listened to Serenity.

 

He could feel something weird coming from the twins that he had no word for.

 

Theresa was exceedingly joyous at the moment and that alone brought a smile to his lips.

 

Milly was feeling humorous and finding something quite endearing, though he knew not what.

 

He finally decided he had to tell them.

 

He couldn't wait for a lull in the conversation, mostly because there never was when they were all together.

 

It was just the right of them changing topics and who they were talking to like a never ending flow, such as a river perhaps.

 

He just shouted it out.

 

Everyone stared at him.

 

"You can what?" Hilda demanded with narrowed eyes.

 

"I can sense emotions," he repeated.

 

There was silence for a few seconds before everyone exploded into conversation at once.

 

They stayed on that topic for about a minute, all of them asking him at least one question and Serenity asking no less than fifteen.

 

But then they moved on as if it was no big deal.

 

He found himself smiling.

 

None of them really cared.

 

They still cared for him.

 

It was a shockingly sweet sentiment and he had to force himself not to cry.

 

The conversation turned to their predicament at hand and they talked for a little over five minutes about their parents before the end of lunch was reached and they were all forced back to their next classes.


	13. Chapter 13

Hilda latched onto Amber's hand and she pushed them through the mass of bodies around them until they made it to the flag they were trying to reach.

 

Group three.

 

As in Surviving Fairytales.

 

She would say the odds of all her friends being in the same group with all of their mentors was impossible, but then she remembered the star she had seen.

 

This was not merely some chance.

 

Merlin has made it so.

 

She stopped right under the flag and let go of her sister's hand.

 

Dede has latched onto Amber as they had gone and now released her with a relieved expression.

 

About a minute later, their whole group was there together.

 

Hilda, Amber, Dede, Milly, Theresa, Axel, Nathan, and Serenity.

 

The mentors were there as well.

 

Hester, Amber, Dot, Beatrix, Tedros, Agatha, Hort, and Kiko (in that order).

 

Milly cursed quietly as she saw that Reena was not in their group and was instead in four.

 

Beside Chaddick.

 

Flirting.

 

She felt her skin crawl uncomfortably and looked away.

 

He eyes landed on Beatrix and she saw that the blond was glaring at the two.

 

She took that as a victory and silently cheered.

 

Perhaps she hadn't done much, not more than getting the two to sit a bit closer to each other when she was around, but it seemed like whatever it was did something.

 

She just hoped that Beatrix didn't still have that crush on Chaddick (though, to be honest, she wasn't sure if her mother had ever had a crush on him... but then again, wasn't sure meant she couldn't say ether way definitively).

 

Yuba looked up at them and raised an eyebrow.

 

He was about to speak, but he caught sight of a star on a tree about five paces away.

 

The calling card of his greatest student.

 

Whatever abnormal things that were occurring here were his doing.

 

And Yuba trusted him.

 

So the gnome said nothing about the weird, and frankly obvious, resemblance between the children.

 

He simply led them into the blue forest.

 

~

 

The first challenge he gave them was quite simple.

 

All they had to do was find one of their kind.

 

Evil find Evil, a Good find Good.

 

Just as it had been for as long as documentation had recorded.

 

It was the coffin exercise he had performed first year, he did it with all his first years, but slightly different to throw off the fourth years.

 

This time, he had both girls and boys in and out of the coffins.

 

Theresa was not interested in participating.

 

All she wanted was for her father to find the coffin within which her mother resided.

 

Yuba pointed at her with his walking stick.

 

"Everyone must participate!" he snapped.

 

She sighed and turned to the coffins, intent to just choose the first she saw.

 

But she found her eyes drawn to the one to the far left.

 

Her curiosity was peaked and she headed toward that one.

 

~

 

Nathan sat in his coffin, hoping against hope that Serenity was out there and would somehow find him.

 

Suddenly, he heard footsteps outside.

 

He couldn't see the person outside, but the footsteps were light and clearly didn't belong to someone any heavier than Serenity.

 

He found himself beaming.

 

It must be her.

 

~

 

Hester really didn't want to do this.

 

It was boring and pointless.

 

She did it anyways.

 

She was going to be Class Captain this year and some stupid challenge wasn't going to get in her way.

 

Not a chance.

 

She analyzed the coffins with narrowed eyes and looked for the one that resinated with Evil.

 

None of them stood out...

 

That is until one seemed to just glow.

 

She strode toward that one and shoved Dot away as they both tried to go for the same one.

 

This one, and whoever was in it, was hers.

 

~

 

Dot glared at Hester, grumbling.

 

She hadn't even been sure she wanted that one.

 

She had just been looking at all of them to see if any stood out or looked different.

 

None did.

 

Time was running out and she worried she wouldn't be able to see anything and would just have to pick one.

 

But, suddenly, she saw one that was just a bit different than the others.

 

She wasn't sure how, but she was sure it was.

 

She stood by that coffin and prepared to open it, hoping that perhaps she would find Dede in there and at least have a Never in it.

 

~

 

Hilda looks around, intent on finding her sister.

 

Her eyes landed on one for a moment, but then she saw another form going for that one and she immediately disqualified it from further scrutiny.

 

Anything Theresa would pick had to be absolutely terrible.

 

And so Hilda turned and watched each coffin as if waiting for one to literally speak to her and say that they held a Never within their depths.

 

Of course, none did anything of the sort.

 

But she did find one that metaphorically spoke to her and she headed toward that one.

 

Perhaps this one truly held her sister within it.

 

~

 

Neither Beatrix or Hort felt anything special from any of the coffins, even as Yuba snapped at them to choose.

 

They found they were the last two to have not picked and they each hurried to one of the two left.

 

~

 

Yuba instructed them each to open the coffin and transform the occupants back by pulling them from its depths.

 

Each of those in the coffins were in forms which had incredibly bad eyesight and, perhaps conveniently, could not tell who was helping them from their coffins.

 

~

 

Tedros lifted the occupant from their coffin without difficulty and, as he watched his betrothed turn back into her beautiful form, kissed her.

 

Agatha reached her hand up and cupped his cheek gently, enjoying the feeling of her beloved's arms, and lips, on her.

 

~

 

Nathan saw light coming as the coffin was opened.

 

Thin, weak arms pulled him out of his coffin and he prepared to be met with those beautiful emerald green eyes.

 

As his vision cleared, he found his eyes staring into deep brown ones that looked just as surprised as he felt.

 

"Axel?"

 

~

 

Dot reached into the coffin and, with all her might, pulled the unknown person from its depths.

 

She stumbled and barely kept herself and the transforming person balanced.

 

After a moment, she was met with pigtails and adorable puppy eyes.

 

She almost fell again as she spoke.

 

"Kiko!?"

 

~

 

Hester scooped her arms around the coffin's dweller and lifted much as Tedros had lifted Agatha into his arms.

 

A form transformed in her grip and she looked down intently, hoping it was a Never.

 

She was met not only with a Never, but with startling red eyes.

 

Anadil has felt warm, strong arms wrap themselves around her and she had almost thrashed in their grip.

 

But something about it felt familiar.

 

As she was lifted, her vision started to clear.

 

She realized who it was only a moment before she regained her sight, having recognized the scent.

 

Cauldrons and old, musty spell textbooks one could only find in the very back of the library if they were dedicated enough to go searching for it.

 

Her eyes regained focus and she soon realized that she was, just as she suspected. Hester's arms.

 

The two stared at each other with wide eyes, both turning light red colors.

 

They just stood there for a long moment, Hester gripping Anadil securely as if the other girl could not support herself on her own legs should she be set down.

 

To be fair, that might have been a true statement.

 

Hester set her down and Anadil supposed that had been true after all as she stumbled.

 

She reached out and grabbed Hester around the shoulders.

 

The two almost fell and were in almost the same position they had been in yesterday after Hilda had bumped into them.

 

The albino felt heat rush to her cheeks as Hester easily put her back on her feet for the second time.

 

"Don't worry. I've got you, Ani," she said softly.

 

It sent a shiver down Anadil's spine.

 

~

 

Hilda saw her Hester grab onto the form within her chosen coffin in a strong, secure grip.

 

Hilda wasn't sure that she would want Amber to change back into herself in that position, as it was decidedly romantic and therefore gross to do with one's sister, so she instead grabbed her form around the waist and hoisted her into the air and down in front of her.

 

The form let out a small surprised sound and seems not to trust Hilda's grasp, despite how secure it had been.

 

The form struggled and the two tumbled over, rolling down a hill as the form continued to change back into a human.

 

When they landed, Milly's vision finally cleared and she could see Hilda's face only inches from her own.

 

The two had rolled a good ten feet and now Hilda was holding herself up by her hands which were located on either side of Milly's shoulder.

 

Milly felt her heartbeat speed up as she looked into those bright, devious red eyes just a little ways away from her own.

 

White and green hair dangled down and tickles her nose, but she found she didn't care.

 

All she could think about was how close Hilda was.

 

~

 

Theresa was the last to pull her form from the coffin.

 

She had started laughing as Hilda and Milly tunneled down the hill and had tried not to whoop in triumph as Tedros and Agatha kissed.

 

Yuba prodded her with his staff and she jumped.

 

"I'm going!" she hissed, opening the coffin easily.

 

She scooped the coffin's form into her arms and easily held them aloft.

 

Like her father, she was quite strong and could easily hold a person in such a way, especially considering the fact that this one was especially light.

 

Theresa felt her hair falling down from its place behind her ears and it obscured her vision of everything except for the transforming figure in her arms.

 

~

 

Amber was growing impatient.

 

When was this idiot going to get her out of this coffin?

 

It was probably just Hilda messing with her and making her stay in here longer.

 

She was about to bang on the glass when a bright, brilliant light appeared and blinded what little sight she had at the moment.

 

She felt foreign arms wrap around her shoulders and waist, hoisting her out of the coffin.

 

She let out an indignant sound and planned to slap whoever, Hilda, had pulled her out of this coffin when she got her sight.

 

Her vision slowly cleared.

 

All she could see for a moment was brilliant blond hair.

 

Then the pristine blue eyes staring down at her.

 

She felt her face immediately turn red as she recognized the infuriating princess that had picked her.

 

She was shocked into inaction for a long moment as she just stared at the girl.

 

Her short hair was just long enough to block out the entire outside world as she looked down at Amber with such worry and care.

 

She felt something inside of her stomach squirm, something very uncomfortable and unsettling, and she thrashed in the girl's arms.

 

Theresa's eyes widened and she gripped her tighter to ensure she didn't fall from her arms and onto the hard ground.

 

That just made Amber struggle harder and try to escape the girl's grasp.

 

"Hey, calm down! Just give me a second and I'll put you down!" Theresa said.

 

Amber's face was still red and getting brighter as time passed and Theresa had that worried look on her face.

 

Her heart was beating super fast and she couldn't stop trying to escape her right grip.

 

Finally, the two started to fall and Theresa turned so that she would hit the ground first and absorb the impact.

 

They fell into the coffin and the door slammed close behind them.


	14. Chapter 14

Amber let out a loud, and embarrassing, shriek as the coffin closed behind her.

 

She could still feel hands around her waist and she looked down at Theresa.

 

The princess had wide eyes and stared past her at the closed coffin door.

 

Theresa's hand moved from Amber and both pushed up, clearly trying to open the coffin.

 

It didn't work.

 

Amber stared down at Theresa, wondering how she had ended up beneath her.

 

She remembered her tilting just as they fell.

 

To absorb the brunt of the fall.

 

Her face turned a light pink color.

 

"Are you okay?" Theresa asked.

 

Amber didn't answer and instead looked up.

 

She called out for help and soon saw several students crowding the coffin's door.

 

Hilda was the first there and she was already raising a tree branch to break the glass coffin.

 

Just before she was going to swing, there was a magical force that stopped her.

 

She struggled against it and looked at Yuba.

 

"Let them learn their lesson," he said with a small sparkle to his eyes.

 

Hilda growled and went to kick the door, but he glared at her.

 

"You'll stop this instant or you'll have your own fairytale punishment too."

 

She froze and stared down at her twin.

 

Amber was finding it hard to focus.

 

She was far too close to the annoying princess.

 

Axel set his hand on the coffin gently and Theresa reached hers up, touching where his lay on the other side of the glass.

 

Amber made eye contact with her sister and silently pleaded for help.

 

Hilda shifted and moved her branch just slightly as if considering.

 

She glanced at the gnome and then at her sister.

 

"I'll come back for you after class," she said softly.

 

"Try to learn your lesson quick, okay?"

 

Amber felt like screaming, but the class was already leaving and it would be no use.

 

Dede gave her one last backwards glance and a sympathetic look.

 

Axel looked like he was about to break the coffin open himself, but Theresa shook her head vehemently.

 

"No, I don't want you gettin into trouble too."

 

Amber glared down at the princess.

 

How come she had to be so nice?

 

Stupid Ever.

 

She hated her.

 

Well, hate was a strong word.

 

Perhaps she didn't hate her, but she strongly disliked her.

 

There was a long time where they both laid there in silence.

 

Theresa suddenly offered her best smile.

 

She shifted and moved Amber onto her side so that she was no longer holding herself up and instead laying down beside her, face to face.

 

Their noses brushed against each other.

 

Amber shrieked as she was moved onto her side and tried to slap Theresa, but it didn't seem to have an effect.

 

"That seemed really uncomfortable," Theresa said innocently.

 

Amber felt her heart beating in her throat and glare at her, wondering whether she should punch her or yell at her.

 

"So, what lesson do you think we're supposed to learn?" Theresa asked kindly.

 

Amber didn't answer.

 

She looked anywhere but at Theresa.

 

"Why do you hate me so much?" Theresa asked.

 

Amber's eyes snapped to her.

 

Theresa was as blunt as her mother, that's for sure.

 

"I don't hate you," Amber gritted out.

 

Theresa raised a, perfect, eyebrow.

 

"Really? So you just act like you do."

 

Amber growled.

 

Theresa didn't seem phased.

 

"Why is that?"

 

Amber was silent for so long that Theresa didn't think she was going to respond to her question.

 

"Because you're an annoying, pompous princess."

 

Theresa laughed.

 

"Well I've always been like that, but we got along pretty well when we were younger. What happened?"

 

Amber still wouldn't look at her.

 

"We grew up."

 

Theresa shifted slightly and Amber felt her warm, minty breath.

 

How did she always smell so perfect?!

 

Not that she smelled good!

 

She hated the scent of mint and other Ever smells.

 

But she still wondered how she always smelled like that, even when they were in this coffin that was exceedingly warm.

 

The girl had to be sweating, right?

 

Amber certainly was.

 

"So? I don't think that means we can't still be friends."

 

Amber didn't want to be her friend.

 

Of course she didn't.

 

"But me not wanting to be your friend does mean we can't."

 

Theresa frowned.

 

"I don't think you want to be enemies."

 

"Oh yeah? What makes you so sure of that."

 

Theresa moved closer to her, her pristine blue eyes looking into dark black ones.

 

"Because I know you. I've known you my whole life."

 

Amber suddenly found that she couldn't breathe.

 

~

 

Hilda hoped her sister was okay.

 

She knew she had some weird hatred for the princess and she hoped they didn't kill each other while she was gone.

 

But she had left because she had the dimmest hope the two could work out whatever this was.

 

They'd been antagonistic toward each other for a little under six months now.

 

At first it had been fun to do pranks with her sister, but then it just got to be overkill.

 

They used to be super close.

 

Hilda could remember the day it had happened, too.

 

Amber had come storming into the house screaming about Theresa's haircut and how annoying it looked. About how much she hated those sky blue eyes. About a whole myriad of things that she now suddenly despised about the other girl.

 

She tried to remember what else had happened that day, but she was suddenly distracted.

 

She saw her mothers both glancing at each other before quickly looking away.

 

Mostly it was Anadil, but every once in a while Hester would glance her way as well.

 

It was a good sign, she supposed.

 

She could see Dot and Kiko talking as they walked by.

 

The two of them had gotten some of the worst ranks in class for having chosen the wrong school, but neither seemed to care.

 

Kiko remarked that she was hungry and Dot suddenly pulled a bit of chocolate out of her pocket.

 

Hilda believed it was a pencil.

 

Kiko adamantly refused.

 

"I can't have chocolate!"

 

Dot frowned and looked her up and down.

 

"I think you'd look just as pretty with a few more pounds," she said simply.

 

Kiko stared at her for a moment and suddenly her face turned a light shade of red.

 

"Really?"

 

Dot just smiled and nodded.

 

Kiko hesitantly took the offered pencil and ate it in just a few bites.

 

Dot laughed and told her she had a bit of chocolate on her mouth.

 

Kiko looked even more embarrassed and hurriedly wiped it off.

 

Dot shook her head and brought her hand up.

 

She remarked that Kiko had missed some and gently cleaned it off.

 

She gave Kiko a sweet smile.

 

"There you go!"

 

Kiko looked away and Hilda could practically hear the girl's rapid heartbeat from her.

 

Serenity and Dede walked together a few feet behind them and both grinned at the two.

 

"Thanks," Dede whispered.

 

Serenity smiled and said it was no problem.

 

Dede still gave her a big smile.

 

"I'm still trying to get Sophie to allow Evers to the dance. It probably won't be hard. Plus, I prefer you being alive much more than you being dead."

 

It was a silly and, if you asked Hilda, a very stupid comment, but Serenity didn't seem to care as she found herself grinning at Dede.

 

She looked away after a moment and focused very hard on the other girls ahead of them.

 

Hilda watched them for a moment longer before she turned and watched Tedros and Agatha.

 

The two seemed closer than the last time she'd seen them.

 

They were walking hand in hand, both giving each their not so subtle and very in love looks every once in a while.

 

Behind them, Axel and Nathan walked together.

 

"Thanks for helping me out of the coffin. I didn't think that anyone was going to choose me," Nathan said softly.

 

Axel frowned.

 

He spoke, using with all of the tact he possessed.

 

"That's stupid."

 

Nathan glanced at him and suddenly smiled just slightly.

 

"That's the nicest way anyone's ever called me stupid."

 

Hilda rolled her eyes and was about to try and think up a way to get her mothers to have another awkward romantic moment when Milly walked up.

 

"Sorry I knocked us over back there," Milly said softly.

 

Hilda glanced at her and raised an eyebrow.

 

"It's fine."

 

"And I'm sorry about your sister."

 

Hilda snickered, remembering the look of panic on her sister's face.

 

"Oh, I'm really not to upset about that."

 

Milly looked at her for a short moment before she laughed.

 

Hilda glanced at her and then looked away.

 

"She'll be fine. I mean, she might live the rest of her life in that coffin because she's as stubborn as mom, but she'll live."

 

Milly kept laughing and was soon very hard to ignore.

 

Her elusive gray eyes eyes were slightly closed form so much laughter and her blond had splayed over her shoulders.

 

Hilda looked away pointedly, instead watching her parents.

 

She suddenly saw that Anadil was laughing and Hester was glancing at her out of the corner of her eyes.

 

Anadil was cackling like a witch, but somehow she still mirrored Milly.

 

Hester and Hilda both glanced at the girl to their right and suddenly Hilda blushed.

 

That was a bit odd, but nothing more.

 

Nothing more.

 

~

 

Amber barely caught her breath and wasn't sure how she found the strength to speak.

 

"Just because you've known me for so long doesn't mean that you understand me."

 

Theresa was now less than an inch away and her blue eyes were so sincere.

 

"But I want to."

 

Amber suddenly found herself drawn into those ocean eyes and was drowning in them like they were real pools of water.

 

"Give me a chance?" Theresa asked.

 

She didn't sound as sure about herself as she usually did.

 

Her voice wavered just slightly and she looked at Amber with hope.

 

Right now she wasn't the pompous and highly skilled warrior princess.

 

Right now she was just Theresa, a hopeful and nervous teenager that just wanted to have a chance to have a new friend.

 

Amber found herself nodding just slightly.

 

Nodding against her will, that is.

 

"One chance," she breathed.

 

Theresa was suddenly grinning, beaming even.

 

"Great! So, tell me about yourself, Amb."

 

Amber felt her heart just about stop beating at the nickname.

 

She opened her mouth to object to it, but Theresa shook her head.

 

"You promised me a chance. Now neither of us are princes, but I still think a promise means something."

 

Amber wanted to object, but she found that she couldn't get the words from her throat.

 

Theresa, obviously, took that as a yes as she continued to smile and said she was going to make the most of this deal.

 

Amber tried not to stare at her wide smile, but it was difficult.

 

She just was so... blinding when she smiled like that.

 

Her smile was so infectious that even Amber almost found herself grinning.

 

She stopped herself just before she did, however.

 

She had a reputation to protect, after all.

 

Theresa said a few plans she had for about Ive minutes, but Amber couldn't focus on her words.

 

She was just staring at her sparkling eyes.

 

She was so happy because... of Amber.

 

That made her stomach churn.

 

She hated how it made her feel... good.

 

Happy.

 

"Don't mess up your only chance," Amber said levelly.

 

As levelly as she could.

 

So, not as much as she wished.

 

Theresa laughed, throwing her head back and almost hitting the top of the coffin.

 

"I'll try my best," she said with a wide grin.

 

Amber felt her throat close up and the barest, tiniest smile grew on her lips.

 

Suddenly, the coffin door popped open.

 

Theresa and Amber both jumped.

 

The princess pushed herself to her feet.

 

She was about to walk off, but suddenly turned.

 

She held her hand out to Amber.

 

The witch stared at it for a long moment before she gripped it and allowed the princess to pull her to her feet.

 

She found her face turning red at the contact.

 

What had she gotten herself in to?!


	15. Chapter 15

When they had gotten out of the coffin, Theresa turned and dropped to one knee.

 

"My name is Princess Theresa of Camelot, daughter of King Tedros, first born and heir to the throne. It is an honor to make your acquaintance."

 

Amber stared at her with confusion for a long moment.

 

Theresa smirked.

 

"Second chance, remember?"

 

She held out her hand and Amber reluctantly took it.

 

She introduced herself with less enthusiasm.

 

Theresa didn't seem to care about her unwillingness to contribute.

 

"I look forward to getting to know you better, Amber of Camelot."

 

She stood and took Amber's hand.

 

The witch found her face heating up for unknown reasons as she glanced down at where they touched and then back at her beaming grin.

 

Amber shook her head and let go of her hand as soon as possible, feeling a weird sensation where she had touched Theresa.

 

For a brief moment, she wondered if somehow the princess had cast a spell on her.

 

She knew it was a silly thought had had no idea why she considered t.

 

Her brain just seemed scattered right now for inexplicable reasons.

 

A minute later, Amber and Theresa walked out of the blue forest side by side and Amber kept glancing at Theresa.

 

The princess was still clearly excited about the fact that Amber had given her a chance.

 

The Never forced her eyes away from the Ever.

 

Theresa was in the middle of something, though Amber didn't know what as she was slightly distracted for some reason, when suddenly their friends came through the woods.

 

Hilda suddenly smiled, only just slightly of course, at the sight of her sister.

 

It grew a bit when she saw that she was walking side by side with Theresa.

 

Perhaps they had settled their differences, whatever those might be.

 

She really had never figured out why they argued.

 

And it only seemed like Amber argued and Theresa just dealt with it like she didn't really care.

 

Axel gave his sister a smile and went to put his hand on her shoulder.

 

She stared at him and slightly shook her head.

 

He frowned in confusion, but kept his hand to himself.

 

The wolves howled just then and all the students looked up.

 

They made quick goodbyes and then each of them left.

 

Theresa gave Amber a formal goodbye with a bow and the witch rolled her eyes sufferingly.

 

~

 

Theresa walked with a small bounce to her steps.

 

She had finally gotten what she'd been trying to get for the past six months.

 

It had taken lots of failed attempts, several occasions of being tripped by Amber, many snide remarks, and the luck of a rose falling into a witch's lap by chance.

 

But she'd finally got what she wanted.

 

Axel glanced at her and she could tell he was confused by her refusal to let him sense all of her emotions.

 

She didn't offer up an explanation.

 

She was far too happy by how the evening had ended to feel guilty.

 

~

 

Amber was far more confused than Theresa.

 

She couldn't figure out the weird feeling in her stomach or why she actually was... happy to give her another shot.

 

Not that Theresa had ever really done anything to mess the first one up.

 

One day she had just started feeling all weird around the girl and wanted nothing g more than to make that feeling stop.

 

It seemed bullying and annoying hadn't worked.

 

She now decided it was the sensation of friendship with the other girl.

 

A part of her said that she absolutely did not feel that way with Dede, but she ignored that part.

 

That wasn't important.

 

What was important was that Hester and Anadil were both studying quietly on Hester's bed.

 

Dot and Dede were talking about earlier and how Kiko had pulled the former from her coffi.

 

"I think you two would really like each other if you ever just spent time together," Dede said with a smile and an encouraging look in her eyes.

 

Dot glanced at Hester and Anadil, wondering if they could hear their conversation.

 

They seemed far too distracted, so she responded.

 

"Maybe you're right. She seemed fun, at least."

 

Dot looked away and she flashed the twins a wide grin and two thumbs up.

 

The twins both rolled their eyes, but they both seemed slightly distracted as well.

 

Hilda was also thinking about the test in surviving fairytales and wondering how she could have possibly chosen an Ever.

 

It didn't make sense.

 

There were plenty of Nevers she could have found.

 

Perhaps she was just not good at sensing the difference between schools.

 

Maybe because she had been raised with both Evers and Nevers everywhere and that made it harder for her to distinguish.

 

She wasn't sure, but that sounded likely.

 

~

 

Axel finally cornered Theresa when their parents were busy 'studying' (read as making out in the corner of the library).

 

"Okay, what's going on with you? You've been super happy and excited ever since you got out of that coffin."

 

Theresa opened her mouth to deny it.

 

"Don't play coy with me. I can sense it, remember?"

 

Theresa closed her mouth and Axel kept staring at her with the big eyes he had inherited from their mother.

 

"Amber said she would give me a second chance to be her friend," Theresa said simply.

 

Axel stared at her.

 

"And that makes you happy why?"

 

Theresa shrugged.

 

"We used to be close. I missed her."

 

Axel narrowed his eyes at her and then looked at her arm as if he wished to touch her to sense her emotions fully.

 

Theresa raised an eyebrow.

 

"Try it and you get smacked by a training sword. It might not be steel, but wood can hurt just as much."

 

Axel's face drained of color, making him look even paler than usual.

 

"Fine. But you're going to tell me sooner or later. That or you'll let your guard down."

 

Theresa stared at him and he nodded before turning and making his way to his room.

 

~

 

Serenity found her thoughts acting weird.

 

She suddenly couldn't get this Never out of her mind.

 

They hadn't interacted much recently with all of the craziness of going back in time and constantly causing paradoxes that made her infuriated, but that didn't stop her mind from imagining the smallest things.

 

From the Never's small nervous ticks to the smile that could light up a room.

 

She wondered what they were up to right now.

 

Probably trying to make sure that we're born.

 

Something she should be doing right now as well.

 

But she was distracted and had no idea where Nicola was at the moment.

 

So, for now, she found herself daydreaming.

 

~

 

Milly sat on her bed, quietly watching Beatrix and Reena.

 

The two were studying for some class Milly hadn't caught the name of.

 

Reena leaned over Beatrix's shoulder to read something and Beatrix was soon staring at her, clearly lost in the other princess's elusive gray eyes.

 

In the future, Beatrix often bought things the color of Rena's eyes whenever she saw them, claiming they reminded her of her whenever she saw one.

 

She often spoke of how she loved those eyes and how it made her look very different from anyone Beatrix had ever met.

 

Milly suddenly wondered what people thought about her eyes.

 

Well, not people.

 

Just one person.

 

One person with the cruelest evil snicker.

 

One person with eyes that lit up with malicious delight that made Milly just freeze sometimes.

 

One person that, if you couldn't already tell, was Hilda.

 

She just made the Ever feel something she never felt from anyone else.

 

She wasn't sure what it was, but it was as intoxicating as it was terrifying.

 

She watched her mothers as they studied together and wondered how they felt right now.

 

Was it a familiar feeling for Milly?

 

She wasn't sure.

 

~

 

Nathan sulked as he ate his dinner.

 

He had really been hoping that Serenity would choose his coffin.

 

But Axel had been the one to help him.

 

He guessed it was okay considering the fact that Serenity had also been in a coffin at the same time.

 

It wasn't bad that Axel had chosen him, it's just...

 

Well, it definitely bad.

 

He liked Axel.

 

He was sweet and just the right amount of teenage emo to understand how Nathan was feeling all the time.

 

They were close and had been for their entire lives.

 

He had hoped for Serenity to help, but he supposed Axel was a good substitute.

 

Definitely not the worst.

 

Weird thoughts.

 

But since when had Nathan had regular, normal thoughts?

 

He supposed the answer would be never, which made sense considering who his fathers were.

 

Speaking of, both of them were eating dinner across from him and quietly talking about the thugs they'd done today.

 

Nathan wished they'd simply get past the pleasantries and start kissing, but it seemed like that was a lot ways away.

 

~

 

The next week passed in a similar pattern.

 

The kids would try to get their parents into romantic situations and it would either work (such as when Theresa and Axel were able to get their parents to have a heart to heart in the King Arthur garden on Wednesday) or failed horribly (such as when Nathan, in a fit of annoyance and impatience, had tried to force his parents together by tripping them down the stairs. He had not been as practiced as the twins and the two had just gone tumbling down a whole flight of stairs and then laid there in a tangle of limbs while moaning in pain).

 

Romance was slowly blossoming with their parents, such as how Hester has actually complimented Anadil in her training of her rats the other day and the albino had just stood there with shocked eyes and a small red tint to her face.

 

The lunches were an odd occurrence as well.

 

Theresa was still very determined to make the most of her new chance with Amber and had gotten her not one, but two gifts.

 

The first had been the simple bouquet of flowers.

 

Amber had burned them while staring Theresa in the eyes.

 

The second gift had been a spell book that was specifically geared toward villain talents that had to do with animals.

 

Amber had accepted it with the quietest "thanks, I guess" ever spoken.

 

Later hat night she had read half of it and used several of the techniques.

 

Serenity was acting strangely around Nathan and Dede and sometimes fidgeting whenever one of them laughed.

 

Milly and Hilda were now talking more and more while Theresa and Amber had their weird conversations.

 

Hilda would complain about her sister’s recent distracted nature and Milly would commiserate with her.

 

One day, Milly had even gone so far as to offer to help with a prank they could pull on Amber together.

 

Hilda had been incredibly surprised and turned a light shade of pink at the question.

 

She had considered for a moment before rejecting it.

 

She had, however, said they could prank Nathan.

 

The next day, the Never woke up to itching powder in all of his uniforms.

 

They had taken the idea from Amber and Hilda’s mothers in their first year when they had been helping Sophie get revenge on Tedros for breaking his promise to her.

 

Axel had helped Nathan clean his clothes and even let him borrow some of his own while the latter worried that Serenity would bear the story.

 

She had and had said it was rude of Hilda and whoever had helped her (everyone had assumed it was Amber, but she had had an alibi with Theresa as the princess had been giving her advice on how to get Hester and Anadil to notice each other), though she had secretly laughed at it when she was alone.

 

They had reached a steady routine.

 

But everything seemed to change the day they had their finger glows unlocked.


	16. Chapter 16

Axel was incredibly excited to get his finger glow unlocked.

 

He'd been waiting for this for years.

 

But nobody, NOBODY, was more excited for this than Serenity.

 

She was the only one that hadn't gotten her special talent and she was itching to find it, especially since she was supposed to start school right when they got back to the present.

 

She knew her mother was really good at spells and was excited.

 

Maybe she could show off.

 

Catch someone's attention.

 

If she was, theoretically, interested in that kind of thing.

 

~

 

Amber was going insane.

 

She just couldn't get Theresa out of her mind.

 

She would just be doing something and then the Ever just popped into her brain.

 

It was annoying and frustrating.

 

And it didn't help that she somehow found herself excited to go to Surviving Fairytales.

 

She tried to tell herself that it was because she wanted her finger glow unlocked.

 

Of course a part of herself said that wasn't completely true.

 

But since when had she, or anyone in this school, listened to that part of herself that rang true?

 

The answer? Never.

 

And so she tried her best to pay attention to everything that Hester and Anadil did.

 

And definitely didn't notice when Theresa threw her head back and laughed (especially not when Amber made her laugh. Definitely not).

 

Or when she smiled (usually when she smirked at her own joke...)

 

Or when she leaned over Amber's shoulder and pointed at something.

 

Or when she just... breathed.

 

Amber definitely didn't pay attention to anything Theresa did.

 

And Amber didn't think about how pretty Theresa was, with the way her fluffy blond hair curled just at the base of her cheek that accented her tan skin...

 

"Amber-"

 

"What?!"

 

Dede raised an eyebrow and stared at Amber.

 

"What were you thinking about?"

 

Amber swallowed uncomfortably.

 

"Nothing."

 

Dede raised an eyebrow and then glanced at Hilda.

 

She was slightly preoccupied by the thought of a certain gray-eyed, blond haired Ever.

 

An Ever with sweet smiles and kind eyes.

 

Dede stared at the twins.

 

Something was going on with them. Both of them.

 

What could it possibly be?

 

~

 

Nathan has thoughts of Serenity.

 

Her playful smirk and kind thoughts.

 

The way her fluffy hair, which greatly resembled Theresa's, which was not surprising as they were cousins, gently curled and hung on her shoulders...

 

Nathan had a crush and it didn't seem like it was going away anytime soon.

 

Her emerald green eyes and vivacious yearning forknowledge..

 

He was just like his father, for better or worse.

 

Speaking of, his fathers were still getting closer every day.

 

If only a little bit.

 

Now they would actually acknowledge each other's existence whenever they saw each other, if only with a quick hello every once in a while.

 

At least he was more likely to exist in the first place now.

 

He wasn't sure how his parents had come so far considering they barely even talked.

 

~

 

Amber glanced at her mothers.

 

They silently worked together and, if she didn't know how hard it was for Hester to actually trust anyone, she would have thought they were nothing but friends.

 

Hester sat with Anadil on her bed.

 

Anadil yawned and blinked.

 

She hadn't slept much last night considering she'd been studying last night, like they were now.

 

The albino suddenly just couldn't keep her eyes open and her head sagged, leaning over to the right further and further until her head suddenly fell onto Hester's shoulder:

 

The tattooed witch, the older one that is, jumped slightly and looked at the albino.

 

Her red eyes were closed and her chest rose and fell to a steady rhythm, clearly having fallen asleep.

 

For a moment, Amber and Hilda wondered if Hester was going to throw their other parent off of her.

 

But Hester just sat there, looking at Anadil for a long moment.

 

When she looked away, she left Anadil comfortably laying on her shoulder.

 

When Anadil almost fell backwards, Hester gently grabbed her around the waist and leaned back until they were resting their backs against the wall.

 

Amber and Hilda both grinned.

 

That is until Amber suddenly found herself thinking about something-or rather someone-else.

 

Her face turned pink and she looked away from her parents... until she was looking right at the Good Tower.

 

Purity.

 

As in Theresa's tower.

 

She wasn't sure which was worse, the fact that she was looking at where Theresa was or the fact that she knew which tower she lived in.

 

~

 

Beatrix and Reena were both reading their mandatory textbook pages in silence.

 

That is until Reena suddenly groaned and stretched across the bed they were sitting on.

 

She laid down and her head landed on Beatrix's lap.

 

She continued to read and Beatrix looked down at her.

 

The blond's face turned red and she just stared down at her friend.

 

Her breathing was erratic and she couldn't stop the way her stomach filled with butterflies.

 

Why was she so nervous?

 

It was just her friend.

 

Just Reena.

 

She's known her for years.

 

Just Reena...

 

But that name wasn't just anything.

 

When Beatrix heard that name, there were so many thoughts that came with it.

 

So many feelings.

 

Joy, anticipation... love...

 

She wasn't sure why that came to mind.

 

She didn't notice that Milly was watching them... although, she was only half watching them.

 

The other half of her was paying attention she to the weird, and slightly unsettling, thoughts she was having at the moment.

 

Thoughts about a certain Never with white hair with beautiful green highlights in it...

 

A Never with a perpetual mischievous smile on her face that made Milly's heart race at just the mere thought.

 

Milly couldn't help but smile just slightly at the thought of her friend.

 

She wasn't sure why it made her feel so weird to think about her...

 

She might have been slightly Evil and constantly cooking up evil schemes, but Milly just always thought of her as the sweet girl that she was.

 

The same girl that always made sure her friends were okay, even if she pretended she didn't care.

 

~

 

The day went by quickly for all of the students, both old and new.

 

That is until they came to their final class.

 

Surviving Fairytales.

 

Serenity was practically vibrating with energy.

 

She couldn't wait to get her finger glow unlocked.

 

She saw Dede coming and the two shared an excited grin.

 

Dede bounced up and down, grabbing onto Serenity's hands.

 

"I can't wait!" she said.

 

Serenity found herself watching her friend's joyful expression.

 

For a moment she forgot about getting her finger glow unlocked and just stared at her best friend.

 

Serenity cleared her throat.

 

"Yeah... yeah it's going to be great," Serenity said.

 

Dede frowned and leaned closer.

 

"Aren't you excited?" she asked as she moved closer, her face getting much to close to Serenity's own.

 

She stared back and gave her a large grin.

 

"Of course I'm excited!"

 

Dede smiled back at her.

 

"Good!"

 

Dede leaned back and Serenity let out a breath.

 

They both turned back to their other friends.

 

Yuba appeared a few minutes later and led them to the blue forest.

 

Axel and his cousin, Serenity, exchanged a wide grin.

 

Both of them were excited to see what they could do with their unlocked finger glows.

 

Theresa came up and surprised Amber.

 

She flung her arm around Amber's shoulders and grinned over at the black-haired girl.

 

"You excited?" Theresa asked.

 

Amber felt her heartbeat in her throat and stared at her friend turned enemy turned friend.

 

Amber didn't feel like she could speak, so she just grunted in response to her friend's question.

 

Theresa smiled broadly at her, not seeming to care at the monosyllabic response.

 

"Me too! I don't know if I'll be able to even use magic that well considering my dad, but it's still cool. I wonder what color mine will be."

 

Amber didn't respond.

 

"I bet yours will be red or green, like your moms."

 

Amber nodded in response to her friend.

 

She'd always thought that before.

 

Dede and Serenity were talking when Dede suddenly called Nathan over and gave him a broad grin.

 

Serenity frowned and found herself feeling weird at the addition of Nathan.

 

She kept shooting him glances... that and the way Dede kept staring at him.

 

Many had spoken about how they thought Dede had a crush on Nathan.

 

Did he like her too?

 

It was somehow a concerning thought for Serenity, but she didn't know why.

 

It was a weird feeling.

 

Nathan shot Serenity side eyed glances.

 

Was she looking at him?

 

A thrill shot through his heart at the idea.

 

Did she like him too?!

 

He didn't notice Dede looking at him.

 

~

 

Yuba glances back at the group and saw another star sitting in the tree behind them.

 

These were the ones Merlin had decided to send back?

 

He shook his head.

 

It made sense that bad group would give birth to one of their own.

 

~

 

Yuba stopped the group after a minute of walking.

 

He pulled a key from his pocket.

 

He went from each of the children and let the key sink into their fingers, turning their bones all the way around.

 

He coached them on how to get their fingers to glow.

 

"Emotion?" Dede frowned and shook her finger up and down.

 

Nathan did the same.

 

Serenity is the first to get her finger glow to work.

 

It was a hot pink color, just like Sophie's.

 

It glowed almost immediately after being unlocked and she grinned.

 

Axel was second.

 

His was purple.

 

Surprisingly, Theresa was third.

 

She grinned.

 

"I guess I do have a bit of mom in me, huh Axel?" she asked.

 

Amber found an infuriating emotion as she smirked.

 

Amber couldn't get her finger to glow.

 

She watched her twin do it and Milly followed after her.

 

Theresa walked up to Amber and gave her a grin.

 

"Just focus on an emotion, Amb."

 

She felt too distracted to focus on an emotion.

 

Theresa put her hand on Amber's shoulder.

 

"I know you can do it," she said with that infuriating grin.

 

Amber found something stir in her heart.

 

Just then, Amber's finger glowed.

 

She looked at her own.

 

Theresa's was golden, just like her parents, and Amber's was-

 

Orange.

 

She frowned and looked down at her finger.

 

The color flickered for a moment, but Theresa's hand tightened on Amber's shoulder.

 

"You did it! I really like your color, it's really pretty."

 

Amber glanced at Theresa and found that her face colored along with her light orange finger.

 

"Thanks," she said softly.

 

Theresa was still grinning at her and the two just stared at each other for a long moment.

 

~

 

Dede was still trying to make her finger glow.

 

Serenity walked over and smiled at her.

 

Beside Dede stood Nathan and she wondered which one of them Serenity was smiling at.

 

She glanced at Nathan and then back at Serenity.

 

"How did you get your finger to glow so easily?" Dede's question was equal parts intrigued and petulant, sounding whiny.

 

Serenity shrugged.

 

"I don't know. It's just... easy for me. It'd be like it's just like me asking how you turn things to chocolate."

 

Dede frowned in thought.

 

Serenity continued to coach her friends, both Dede and Nathan, to use their finger glows.

 

Dede's suddenly flickered to life.

 

It glowed a deep blue and she grinned broadly.

 

"I did it!"

 

She jumped around excitedly and her finger glowed even brighter.

 

Serenity's did too.

 

Nathan channeled as well as he stared at Serenity, his finger turning brown.

 

Dede watched Nathan with a somewhat starstruck look on her face for a moment.

 

~

 

Hilda and Milly stood side by side, both trying to make their fingers glow.

 

Suddenly, Hilda's glowed.

 

It was a deep blood red color.

 

Hilda smirked a bit mischievously.

 

Milly stared at that smile and her finger glowed as well, turning-

 

A red color, precisely the shade of Hilda's eyes.

 

~

 

Yuba shook her head at the group.

 

They were all so blind.


	17. Chapter 17

Serenity waved her glowing pink finger and a small cloud appeared overhead.

 

Dede stared at it with awe, clapping her hands.

 

The cloud started to snow and Dede giggled, sticking her tongue out and catching a snowflake on it.

 

Serenity smiled, but it faded as Nathan walked up and gave her a wide grin.

 

Dede glanced at the other Never and Serenity frowned.

 

The cloud grew a dark gray color as her finger glowed brighter and it started to rain, a small bolt of lightning striking Nathan on the ear.

 

He yelped and his hand flew to his injured ear.

 

Dede giggled and grinned at Serenity.

 

The cloud turned back into a white fluffy one again and snow gently fell.

 

Axel came up to check on Nathan's ear and gave Serenity a small glare.

 

Serenity rolled her eyes and glanced back at Dede as she watched the snow fall delicately around her.

 

Serenity's heart beat a bit faster as Dede's eyes, still filled with an almost child-like wonder, turned on her.

 

Dede had dark eyes, just like both her mothers, but the light within them didn't portray anything but excitement.

 

Serenity swallowed and her finger glowed brighter.

 

Dede didn't seem to notice Serenity's response.

 

She also didn't notice as Axel gently checked for any other injuries on Nathan.

 

~

 

Theresa's finger still glowed its royal gold color and beside it Amber's shown with the orange of the setting sun.

 

Amber kept glancing between her finger and Theresa's, feeling weird about it.

 

They were quite similar colors, but then she supposed that there weren't that many colors to pick from, so it wasn't really a surprise.

 

While Serenity showed off her talents across from them, Theresa was trying her hardest to form something.

 

Yuba had told them to start with a simple transmogrification or weather spell.

 

Amber found it hard to concentrate.

 

Theresa was suddenly grinning and Amber was so distracted by her expression that she didn't notice the small cloud that had formed over her head.

 

Theresa's grin turned mischievous and suddenly water poured down on Amber.

 

She gasped and immediately leapt from her spot under the storm cloud.

 

She glared and her finger glowed as well.

 

A moment later, a cloud appeared above Theresa as well.

 

The princess rolled to the side a moment before thunder crackled and rain poured down from above.

 

Amber growled and her finger followed after the running girl.

 

Her mice scampered down from her hair and legs, running toward the other girl.

 

Theresa was still grinning with mischief and enjoyment, even as Amber's mice scampered toward her.

 

The cloud neared Theresa and she glanced up.

 

The smile didn't slip one bit, even as it thundered menacingly.

 

"Theresa!"

 

The princess glanced over her shoulder and saw her father grinning.

 

He tossed her a shield and she gave him a quick "Thanks!" before raising it over her head and blocking the rain.

 

Her finger glowed gold and Amber threw herself to the side just as more rain poured down over her.

 

Lightning crackled above Theresa and she glanced up.

 

As she did, her eyes momentarily passed over Amber's rats.

 

Lightning flashed above her head and the mice glanced up.

 

Theresa had an idea and smirked.

 

She rolled across the ground and scooped all three rats up, cradling them in the crook of her left arm while raising the shield with her right to block the rain and lightning.

 

Amber's eyes widened as she heard the squeaking of her mice.

 

What was Theresa doing?!

 

~

 

Theresa aimed to hit Amber with rain, but a glowing red finger dispelled the spell easily.

 

Hilda glanced over at Hester, the only one apart from herself with a red glow, and saw her glaring at Tedros.

 

He had taken Theresa's side and Hester had clearly taken Amber's.

 

As the cloud dispelled, it was shot away and bits of rain splashdd Milly.

 

Hilda whipped her head around.

 

Rage suddenly filled her and her finger glowed as well.

 

Another rain cloud formed above Theresa.

 

She stalked forward and joined her twin by her side.

 

Milly watched with shock (and a bit of cold from the rain).

 

Theresa let out a surprised sound and pulled herself into a ball to keep from getting wet.

 

Agatha glanced up and frowned.

 

She dispelled the attack from the twins.

 

She felt oddly protective of Theresa and she cast a gust of wind, blowing the cloud away from Theresa.

 

It landed above Dede and the girl shrieked as she was coated in water.

 

Serenity's eyes shot to the twins with cold fury.

 

Her finger glowed hot pink and she stalked forward.

 

She grabbed Theresa's outstretched hand and pulled her to her feet.

 

"Let's show those two, cus."

 

Theresa's grin widened.

 

"What are we waiting for?"

 

And that's how people started to get sucked into a small, playful fight turned into a war.

 

Hester and Anadil instantly joined the twins with Agatha and Tedros joined Theresa's side.

 

Axel joined his sister while Dot joined her covenmates.

 

Kiko joined Theresa whole Hort joined Hilda and Amber.

 

Dede and Milly watched with shock as this turned into a full fledged war.

 

Milly soon joined Amber and Hilda's side of the amazing army.

 

Serenity raised hell and soaked both twins thoroughly while Theresa defended her from counterattacks using back her shield and her finger glow.

 

Axel joined his sister and cousin, cousin.

 

He doused Nathan quite thoroughly, but got as good as he gave from the boy's father.

 

Beatrix, having thought herself above this whole thing, found herself drenched by Hester and joined in heartily with loud yells. She even hit her own daughter (though of course she didn't know that) as she had taken the opposite side.

 

Dede was the only one just watching.

 

Yuba had given them a few minutes to practice with a muttered reason to leave that none of them remembered now.

 

Dede was torn between both sides, so she took the opportunity to just watch how they each 'fought'.

 

Milly let out a loud, high pitched whistle.

 

Gildy and Gordon burst into the clearing.

 

As Milly barked and howled at the two, Hilda took a protective position beside her friend.

 

Serenity flicked her wrist and a storm cloud appeared above Milly.

 

She'd clearly sensed the threat Milly would be with her wolfhounds.

 

Hilda let out a low growl and her finger glowed red.

 

Her green demon tattoo grew and stretched across her skin until she was suddenly surrounded by it, becoming the demon herself.

 

She let out a roar and grabbed Milly around the waist, picking her up in the middle of a bark and saving her from a lightning strike.

 

Milly's face turned as red as Hilda's finger glow.

 

The wolfhounds has, apparently, gotten enough instruction from their master as they leapt into the fray, trying to tackle friends and take them from the fight (gently of course).

 

Milly couldn't pay attention with Hilda so close, even in her demon form.

 

Most people would be terrified by Hilda like this, but Milly found it amazing.

 

She looked so strong and in control, her neon green wings folding over her back sand covering Milly as another storm cloud formed.

 

Her wings were long enough that when she wrapped them around the two, it completely blocked out the exterior world.

 

All she could see was Hilda.

 

The wings formed a green dome around them and the light made a rather... romantic lighting.

 

She blushed furiously at the thought.

 

"Stupid Theresa. Knew this was a trap," Hilda muttered.

 

Her voice was deeper and a bit more gravelly than usual, but Milly could hear the resemblance nonetheless.

 

One thing that stayed the same was Hilda's eyes.

 

Her vibrant, blood red eyes that were the same color as Anadil's.

 

Milly found herself lost within those eyes.

 

Hilda said something else she didn't catch and then stood up straight, unraveling her wings from around Milly and looking back toward the other side with a vengeful look in her eyes.

 

Milly knew she wouldn't be able to do much else in her demon form at the moment.

 

She was strong, but she still needed to build up her endurance some.

 

Hilda took advantage of the remaining time and took off into the hair, her wings flapping hard.

 

She dive bombed toward the other side and grabbed onto one of the Evers.

 

It was Axel.

 

He let out an embarrassingly high pitched shriek as Hilda flew off and dropped him into a tree.

 

Nathan looked up and his eyes widened.

 

"I'm coming, Ax!" he called loudly.

 

He didn't get far before he was tripped by Anadil's rat, however.

 

The albino smirked as Hester cackled, her demon already streaming through the ranks and shoving or pushing the other army's members over.

 

Amber wondered if Theresa still had her mice.

 

She glared and advanced on the girl, intent on knowing if she still held them.

 

No other reason.

 

~

 

Dot was knocked back by Hort as the other Never fell over.

 

Dot bumped into Anadil and fell against Kiko.

 

Anadil fell against Hester and Kiko hit the ground beneath Dot, but not before hitting Tedros.

 

The prince fell against his princess and soon all of the older generation, who had been fighting each other as their spells were a bit more advanced, were on the ground.

 

Dede watched with wide eyes and tried not to laugh as the younger generation, her friends, were the only ones left fighting as the older generation was left to awkwardly look at the others who they had fallen against.

 

Tedros was gently clutching Agatha and was the only thing that kept the two of them from joining the group splayed out in a pile.

 

Inside the pile, Hort a foot in his mouth and was at the very bottom.

 

Hester and Anadil were sprawled out as well.

 

Both of them stared at each other, their faces less than an inch apart.

 

Anadil’s heart actually stopped for a moment and she just stared at Hester with wide eyes.

 

The tattooed witch’s face turned red and she tried to push her way out, but her eyes somehow stayed glued to Anadil’s.

 

Dot and Kiko were at the top with Beatrix a platform between them and Hester and Anadil.

 

Kiko was groaning and didn’t know that Hester was likely to explode with people crushing her.

 

Kiko just laid there for a moment, catching her breath.

 

Dot knew better than to do that and scurried to her feet.

 

She could heard a growl from Hester and her eyes widened fearfully.

 

She reached her hand out and yanked Kiko up just before Hester literally threw Beatrix off of the pile, making the girl yell and utter a few phrases a princess really shouldn’t know.

 

None of them knew who had caused the pile.

 

They only knew Hort had tripped.

 

They didn’t realize that Dede had easily tripped the Never.

 

She smirked a bit evilly and then turned back to watch her friends as they continued to ‘fight’.

 

~

 

Amber caught sight of Theresa and growled.

 

She stalked toward the girl, watching as she defended her cousin from one of Hilda’s storm clouds.

 

Theresa was still grinning despite being soaked quite thoroughly.

 

Amber glared at the expression and she snapped her glowing finger.

 

She knew she didn’t need to snap, but she liked the extra bit of drama it offered, even if she wouldn’t say it.

 

Lightning crackled above Theresa and the Ever’s eyes widened.

 

It hit her in the head.

 

The lightning was nothing powerful, Amber wasn’t strong enough to make one that could hurt her and if she could she wouldn’t have, but Theresa still let out a grunt.

 

Theresa looked up and caught sight of Amber.

 

Her fluffy blond hair was all frizzy now, but the princess reached a hand back and smoothed it down a bur.

 

It wouldn’t stay put, but Theresa didn’t seem to care.

 

Her eyes grew a mischievous glint again and she stalked toward her.

 

Amber found herself watching with wide eyes.

 

She stared at the slightly insane hair (how could it still look so pretty when it was all tangled from the electricity?!) and the way her lips curved up with the same devious intent of her eyes.

 

Amber gulped, suddenly finding that her mouth felt dry.

 

What was going on with her?!


	18. Chapter 18

Theresa brandished her shield and her finger glowed gold.

 

Amber swallowed and took a breath.

 

She finally found her voice as Theresa neared.

 

"Do you have my mice?"

 

Theresa was still smirking.

 

"Mice... hmmm..." Theresa put her finger on the edge of her lip and tapped as if in thought.

 

Amber tried not to stare at where her finger touched.

 

"Oh! Those mice. Must have slipped my mind."

 

Amber broke her eyes away from where Theresa tapped and stared into her pristine blue eyes.

 

A bit of her frizzled hair hung in her face, but Theresa Either didn't notice or didn't care.

 

Theresa suddenly moved her shield so that Amber could see where her arm hooked into the shield to hold it.

 

She hadn't noticed how the shield appeared before.

 

It bore the seal of Camelot on the front, its lions and eagles staring back at her.

 

But that was the front of the shield and now Amber was looking at the back of it.

 

It was a deep, thick shield with small straps that hooked around Theresa's forearm and wrist, which she held to with her hand.

 

Right above Theresa's hand and arm (had Amber never seen how strong those arms were before? What was wrong with her?!), there were several small holes within it.

 

Amber had no idea what those could be used for, but before she could wonder, she saw three small firms huddled in them.

 

Her mice.

 

Theresa was still grinning and Amber's mice didn't seem too upset with their location.

 

"I didn't want them to get all wet, so I thought I'd keep them there."

 

Amber felt her face burning and thought it was a wonder she wasn't somehow on fire.

 

Amber felt her finger glow and raised it, the orange color looking somehow a lighter color than before.

 

"Give them back."

 

Her tone was menacing and had all the cold she had been taught in her time spent at the School for Evil.

 

Though her masterful tone had won praise from her teachers, Theresa didn't seem to notice any difference.

 

The Ever just grinned at her.

 

"You want them back?" Theresa took another step forward and the two stood only a few feet apart now.

 

Theresa closed the distance until they were only a few inches away.

 

Amber felt frozen.

 

If she had been in her normal state, she would have cursed Theresa and stolen her mice back.

 

But right now she couldn't seem to do anything but stare at Theresa.

 

The princess leaned forward, her face dipping down so that she was at about the same height as Amber, which was saying something considering the height difference.

 

"Then take them," she whispered.

 

As the last word left her lips, the Ever bounced backwards and grinned broadly, holding her shield aloft slightly and locking eyes with Amber.

 

She suddenly regained the ability to think and her face turned red with anger (of course with anger. Why else would her face turn red?!).

 

Theresa took a few steps backwards and sunk into the depths of the 'battle'.

 

Amber stalked after her with a vengeful light in her jet black eyes.

 

~

 

"You're really good at spells!" Dede said with a grin.

 

Serenity glanced at Dede.

 

Her finger glowed brighter.

 

The witch put her hand on Serenity's arm and squeezed with a bright grin and then turned to look at the other side.

 

She was still the only one that hadn't chosen a side and was just commenting to her friend.

 

"I, uh," Serenity cleared her throat, "thanks."

 

Dede gave her a quick grin before she hurried off to the sideline before she got hit by a spell.

 

Did... she come over just to tell me that? Serenity thought.

 

Her eyes followed after Dede.

 

Dede stopped and stared at the tree that Axel was still stuck in while Nathan tried to help him, but Dede just giggled and continued to watch all of them.

 

Serenity almost tripped when Dede flashed her a giant grin.

 

Her heart was beating a bit quicker and she was distracted enough that Hilda was able to summon a cloud above Serenity and soak her.

 

It was the first time she'd gotten wet, she really was good at these spells, and she gasped.

 

She could hear familiar laughing and Serenity looked up.

 

Dede was laughing and staring at her.

 

Serenity moved her hair out of her face and blushed.

 

She found herself laughing despite her hair being in her face and how wet she was.

 

Seeing Dede laughing just made her... insides melt.

 

~

 

Amber chases Theresa thought their 'battlefield'.

 

What was wrong with her?

 

Why was she feeling so weird?!

 

She pushed those thoughts aside and paid more attention to the mice she was supposed to be saving.

 

Her mice.

 

That stupid Ever had stolen them.

 

Theresa turned and faced her, her golden finger pointing at her.

 

A storm cloud appeared over her head and soaked Amber thoroughly.

 

She gasped and wiped her face.

 

She glared at Theresa and suddenly went insane.

 

She was cold, wet, missing her mice, and didn't understand her feelings.

 

And so, in a moment of temporary insanity, she tackled her.

 

She just went into a flying leap and threw herself against the other girl.

 

Theresa's eyes widened and the grin slipped slightly.

 

Amber felt a grim sort of satisfaction at the thought.

 

Finally she wasn't so cool and composed.

 

How was she always like that?

 

Theresa grunted and the two fell to the ground.

 

Amber heard her mice shriek and smirked.

 

Her hands were holding Theresa's wrists down on the ground so that the other girl couldn't get up.

 

But that smirk fell when she saw that Theresa was smirking yet again.

 

Theresa, although lying flat on her back, grinned and reached her hands up.

 

Her Camelot shield was discarded and she didn't seem to notice as the mice scurried about.

 

Theresa lifted her head up until her mouth was almost touching Amber's ear.

 

"Maybe you should remember who you're fighting against."

 

Theresa then lifted her wrists, pushing Amber's hands off of her.

 

She put her hands on Amber's waist and the Never's eyes bulged as the Ever lifted her up, still grinning.

 

Then, in one fluid motion, Theresa flipped her over.

 

Theresa smirked widely before she stood up.

 

She had only been there for a moment, but Amber was still just laying there on her back, her face bright red and she just laid on the ground for a long moment.

 

At least it felt like a long moment, but she guessed that it wasn't because Theresa was still standing there, holding her hand out for Amber.

 

She reached out and took her hand, allowing the Ever to pull her to her feet.

 

Amber was still somewhat distracted and she stumbled.

 

Theresa didn't seem to mind and steadied Amber.

 

The Never couldn't breathe and Theresa just grinned at her.

 

"I think I owe you something," Theresa said.

 

She leaned down and Amber found her eyes drifting closed slowly for unknown reasons.

 

Theresa grabbed onto her shield and held out her hands, gently cupping something in them.

 

In her hand, three mice lay.

 

Two of them were even asleep.

 

Theresa suddenly looked slightly... nervous? Embarrassed?

 

Amber wasn't sure, but she found it oddly endearing.

 

"Don't worry, I took good care of them."

 

Amber found her face heating up and she reached out, scooping the mice into her hands with a sense of relief.

 

Even as the mice scampered into her hand and onto her shoulders, she could still feel where her hands had touched Theresa's

 

Just then, a loud voice yelled from the corner of the clearing.

 

"What is going on here?!" Yuba bellowed.

 

All of them flinched, even the older students that were just now getting back to their feet.

 

Hester took a quick breath and put her greatest skill to use.

 

Not her demon, not her spells, but her ability to lie with a perfectly straight face.

 

"Just a few accidents. These first years really aren't good with spells," she said.

 

Amber smirked and wished she was that good at lying.

 

Yuba glared at them all and grumbled about their bad group.

 

Amber shivered and glared at Theresa.

 

She couldn't believe that immature Ever had started all this.

 

Theresa glanced at her and grabbed her cloak, which she'd set down at the start of their lesson.

 

She threw it over Amber's shoulders and the girl jumped.

 

She looked at the jacket.

 

It was soft and made of satin. It had blue lace with a red trim along the bottom with golden yellow buttons that matched the two lions on each side along the chest.

 

Amber moved to take the jacket off, and perhaps throw it on the ground, but Theresa put a hand on her shoulder to still her.

 

"I know you're cold. Sorry I splashed you so many times," Theresa said with a small smile.

 

Amber felt her face heat up and looked over at the Camelot princess.

 

"Whatever."

 

She grabbed onto the edge of the jacket and pulled it around her shoulders.

 

The jacket was surprisingly warm and had a light, minty scent that she recognized.

 

It was Theresa's scent.

 

She didn't know how she knew that and she didn't want to think about it.

 

The wolves howled and the Ever bell rang.

 

"See you, Amb!" Theresa said with a grin.

 

Amber didn't even have the chance to give her back her jacket back.

 

That's when Amber was intercepted by Hilda.

 

"Is that Theresa's jacket?"

 

Dede frowned and stared at it.

 

"No. Yes. Whatever!" Amber pushed past her friends and pulled the jacket closer to her shoulders.

 

~

 

Hester glanced at Anadil.

 

Both of them were soaked to the core.

 

Hester's finger glowed and a sudden wind overtook them.

 

Anadil shivered and suddenly grabbed onto Hester's arm in surprise.

 

The tattooed girl suddenly blushed.

 

The wind died done and the two were dry thanks to the spell.

 

Anadil's hands stayed on Hester's arm for a long moment.

 

Neither of them seemed to want to let the other go.

 

Hester stared at the albino for a long moment and the other girl slowly let go.

 

Hester immediately missed the feeling of her friend's hands on her arm.

 

~

 

Dot helped Kiko to her feet and gave her a small grin.

 

"I'll, um, see you tomorrow," Dot said awkwardly.

 

Kiko gave her a small smile.

 

"Yeah... can't wait."

 

She was just as awkward, but that was alright.

 

Dot was about to go, but suddenly Kiko grabbed onto her and pulled her in for a hug.

 

Kiko never needed an excuse for a hug, but this one seemed even more sudden than usual.

 

Dot just stood there for a second, but then she suddenly grinned and hugged her back.

 

~

 

Axel frowned in confusion.

 

Did Amber steal Theresa's jacket?

 

He put his hand on her arm to pull her back.

 

Just then, emotions exploded out of her and his eyes widened.

 

Her sorted through them, but soon came to a very surprising one.

 

He gasped, a strangled sound coming from his throat.

 

"You-you have a crush!" he hissed.

 

Theresa didn't break her stride and just grinned.

 

"Yeah, I know," she said simply.

 

He gaped at her.

 

"What?! Oh who?!"

 

Theresa glanced over her shoulder and watched Amber's retreating form.

 

His eyes bulged.

 

"You like AMBER?!"

 

Theresa nodded, not looking at him.

 

"Of course I do. I'm not subtle," Theresa said with a grin.

 

Axel gaped.

 

"Wait, that's why you wouldn't let me touch you?!"

 

Theresa nodded.

 

"But if you're not being subtle, then why didn't you let me?" he asked, clearly trying to catch her in a lie.

 

"Because I knew you'd shout about it in front of her and that would be awkward," Theresa said with a laugh.

 

Axel didn't say how true that was.

 

"Soooo... how long has this been going on?" Axel asked with over the top subtleness that was clearly faked.

 

"Ax, don't do this."

 

He sighed and shook his head.

 

"I'd tell you if I liked someone!"

 

Theresa snorted.

 

"Yeah, sure you would."

 

He frowned at her receding form before hurrying to catch up.


	19. Chapter 19

Theresa had had a crush on Amber for about a month and a half.

 

At least that's when she'd realized how she felt.

 

It had been when Amber had been scheming, her black and flirty eyes alight with mischievous intent, when she'd realized.

 

And ever since then she's been trying her hardest to flirt with the Never.

 

She was quite sure it was working, too.

 

She'd seen the way that Amber would glance at her and then look away with a growl and a faint pink tint to her cheeks.

 

Theresa had seen the way she responded when they fought today.

 

The way she had colored at Theresa helping her rats and their somewhat odd positioning on the ground.

 

She saw the way some of her friends had feelings for others but wouldn't admit it to themselves, let alone other people.

 

But Theresa realized she liked Amber and she was going for it.

 

She had gotten the girl a flower, after all!

 

Amber was clearly having trouble figuring out things (her feelings for Theresa, the princess assumed).

 

Axel might be able to feel emotions, but Theresa could read them.

 

She could tell what they meant.

 

Axel was, undoubtedly, better at this sort of thing, but that didn't make Theresa bad at it.

 

How could she not like Amber?

 

She had the prettiest black hair that Theresa just wanted to play with and run her hands through. And she couldn't forget about the way her eyes seemed to be nothing but the dark abyss of black when you first looked, but soon you could see the light within. Just like with Amber. You could see the hard and tough exterior, but Theresa knew she was just as gentle and soft as anyone else.

 

More so, even, she thought.

 

Yes, Theresa had a crush on Amber.

 

But did that make it impossible for her to talk to the other girl or formulate a comprehensible statement?

 

No.

 

She was a strong and powerful princess and nothing would stop her, not even a rather surprising crush.

 

She hadn't thought she'd like someone like Amber.

 

They were polar opposites, and yet Theresa found that she liked the way Amber was different from her.

 

She liked Amber and she was okay with that.

 

~

 

Theresa dealt with her emotions much better than Amber.

 

Amber still wasn't sure if she wanted to be friends with Theresa or if she wanted to murder the other girl.

 

She liked the way Theresa talked and the way she smiled... but Amber didn't like it when she smiled.

 

It made her feel all... weird.

 

And when the princess gave her that playful grin, the one that was slightly mischievous, it made Amber feel like she was the only person in the world. Like Theresa didn't care about anyone but her.

 

It made Amber feel like something was going on in her stomach and she thought she liked that feeling, but then it made her feel embarrassed and nervous. Sometimes her face even turned all red.

 

That made her want to punch the other girl.

 

In the face.

 

Gently.

 

With her own face.

 

When she told Dede that, the girl's eyes widened dramatically and she'd stared at Amber.

 

"You want to kiss her?!"

 

Amber's face filled with heat.

 

She shook her head dramatically.

 

"What?! No, I don't!"

 

"You just said you did!"

 

"I said I wanted to punch her!"

 

"Yeah, but a gentle punch with your mouth on someone else's mouth is just a kiss!"

 

Amber blushed and glared at her friend.

 

"No it's not!"

 

Dede stared at her.

 

"YES IT IS!"

 

Amber flinched.

 

"Keep your voice down!" Amber hissed, her face turning redder by the second.

 

"You like Theresa!" Dede cried.

 

Amber felt her heart start beating three times as fast as normal.

 

"No I don't!"

 

Just then, the Dot opened and came into the dorm room.

 

"Don't what?" she asked sweetly.

 

Dede went to speak, but Amber slapped a hand over her mouth, her face still a blazingly red color.

 

Dede shoved Amber off of her.

 

"Amber likes Theresa!" she said with a smug smirk.

 

"I do not!" Amber roared.

 

"Do too!" Dede snapped.

 

Dot stared at them.

 

"Which one's Theresa?" Dot asked

 

"The princess with the sword!" Dede responded.

 

"Princess? You mean she likes an... Ever?" Dot asked.

 

Dede nodded and didn't seem to think it was a big deal.

 

"But... Evers and Never's aren't supposed to mix."

 

Dede frowned and stared at her mother.

 

The one that married Kiko.

 

She had almost forgotten that she was back in time.

 

Everything has just felt natural.

 

"Well if Never's can fall in love, why cant they fall in love with Evers?" Dede asked pointedly, hoping that it would help Dot open up to the idea that she could date an Ever.

 

Kiko specifically.

 

"And that means that Amber can fall in love with Theresa!" Dede said with a suggestive eyebrow wiggle toward her friend.

 

Amber blushed deeper.

 

"I AM NOT IN LOVE WITH THERESA!"

 

Her mice twittered in agreement and one tried to bite Dede.

 

"Then why haven't you given her your jacket back?" Dot asked, pointing at the blue coat.

 

It sat, neatly folded, beside Hilda and Amber's bed and right beside the latter's pillow.

 

She wouldn't admit it, but she could smell the faint minty scent of Theresa when she fell asleep.

 

"I just, um, forgot."

 

Dede and Dot both stared at her.

 

"I don't like her!" Amber sounded more like she was trying to convince herself of that fact and Dede could tell.

 

"Nevers really can like Evers?" Dot asked quietly, fiddling with her thumbs in her lap.

 

"Of course! My parents were form different schools."

 

"Who were your parents?" Dot asked.

 

Dede paled.

 

Amber cut in.

 

"I don't like Theresa! She's just an annoying, stupid Ever!"

 

"I bet you know her favorite color," Dede said with a smirk.

 

"Of course I do! It's her finger glow!"

 

Dot suddenly spoke up.

 

"Do you think her annoying habits are cute?"

 

Amber shook her head.

 

"Of course not!"

 

"You were literally just complaining about how annoying it is when she pushes her hair out of her face. And then you started staring off into space with a creepy little smile on your face," Dede said.

 

Dot giggled and Amber blushed.

 

"Whatever! That doesn't mean I like her!"

 

Dede twirled her hair around her finger.

 

"I heard that if you know how they smell you can tell you have a crush."

 

Amber turned a deeper shade of red.

 

"Wait, do you really?!" Dede asked incredulously.

 

"I was just making a joke!"

 

Amber looked down at her lap and twiddled with her thumbs awkwardly.

 

"Of course I don't!"

 

"You'd think such an accomplished Never would be better at lying," Dot said.

 

"Or better at dealing with a crush," Dede said with a grin.

 

Amber's finger glowed and she glared at Dede, clearly ready to attack.

 

"Never noticed how golden that glow looks. Kind of like Theresa's," Dede mused with a grin.

 

Nobody could tell which was a brighter color, Amber's face or her finger.

 

The door opened and Hilda strode into the room.

 

Her finger glowed as soon as she saw Amber's.

 

"Who are we attacking?" she asked levelly, as if they did this all of the time.

 

"You attack me and I fell your sister you fell for that Ever," Dede hissed.

 

Amber made her finger stop glowing and she looked away from her.

 

"Nobody. Just practicing."

 

Hilda nodded and her finger glow faded as well.

 

"I don't like her!" Amber hissed quietly.

 

Dede laughed.

 

~

 

"So you really like Amber?!" Axel asked with incredulity.

 

"I already said I do!" Theresa snapped.

 

"Her?! She's insane!" Axel cried.

 

"You insult her one more time and I'm going to beat you with my sword," Theresa said without looking up.

 

"You like her?! She's the most evil person I know! And she has that weird thing twin thing where they can tell what the other is thinking!"

 

Theresa whipped her sword out of its sheath with a dark glare.

 

"I said not to say that again."

 

Axel's eyes widened.

 

Just as Theresa raised her sword, the door swung open and Tedros strode in.

 

His eyes widened and he pulled out his own practice sword, defending Axel from a strike to his backside.

 

Theresa growled.

 

"Take it back!"

 

Axel cowered behind their father.

 

"She's a Never!" Axel snapped.

 

"I've seen the way you look at Nathan! Don't pretend you don't have a crush on him!" Theresa roared back at him.

 

Axel turned red.

 

"What's going on?!" Tedros cried.

 

"Theresa has a crush on a Never!" Axel called like he was ratting her out to their father. Oh wait, he was.

 

Theresa growled.

 

"So do you!"

 

Tedros stared at the two younger kids.

 

"Nevers?! No, no, no, never have a romance with a Never."

 

"Just because you chose A-Sophie to date and you both failed doesn't mean that I'd make the same mistake!"

 

She had almost slipped up and said Aunt Sophie.

 

"Nevers will always break your heart," Tedros said with a side eye at both her and and Axel.

 

Theresa rolled her eyes.

 

"Whatever," she said with an eye roll.

 

"Who is it?" Tedros asked.

 

Axel opened his mouth and Theresa's eyes shit to him.

 

"You say it and I tell him about your crush."

 

Axel's mouth closed with a click and looked at his father.

 

"Night, Theresa. Sorry I snapped."

 

Theresa stared at him for a moment before she nodded.

 

She shoved her sword back into her sheath.

 

"Night," she said stiffly before making her way out of the room.

 

He didn't get it.

 

Even in the future he was blinded by his past.

 

He would never think she could care for Amber without it stabbing her in the back.

 

That's why she'd never told him about how she felt about Amber. Him and Axel.

 

She shoved her way out of the room, keeping her head down with a sigh.

 

She shoved open her dorm room and stormed in.

 

Agatha looked up from her textbook.

 

"Theresa, are you okay?" she asked.

 

The blond didn't answer and just angrily shoved her things down, unstrapping her sword sheath and throwing down her bag.

 

"Tell me what happened."

 

Theresa recognized that voice.

 

It was the voice Agatha always made when she was serious.

 

"Axel and Tedros are being jerks. But it doesn't matter. I don't care what they think," Theresa said bitterly.

 

Agatha moved over and patted the bed she was laying on.

 

"Tell me what's going on."

 

Theresa took a seat next to her mother, remembering the times her mother had comforted her like this in the future.

 

She explained her situation.

 

Agatha have her a consoling look and a pulled her in for a hug.

 

“It’s going to be okay,” she whispered gently.

 

~

 

Amber couldn’t think about anything but the conversation from earlier.

 

She didn’t like Theresa.

 

Of course she didn’t.

 

She barely even noticed when Hester stroked one of Anadil’s rats idly with her hand and allowed the other two to scurry around her shoulder and hair.

 

The way Anadil stared at Hester with a bright blush on her face.

 

Apparently the way to woo a witch was to take care of her rats.

 

That thought made Amber’s heart stop beating.

 

Like how Theresa has taken care of her mice earlier...

 

She didn’t like Theresa.

 

She couldn’t.

 

Of course not.

 

Right?

 

Amber laid down on the bed and could smell the faint scent of her minty coat.

 

She should give Theresa her jacket back.

 

But she found that she didn’t want to.

 

She had liked wearing that jacket.

 

It was soft and made of great material.

 

That’s why.

 

Not because it still had Theresa’s scent and the idea of wearing the princess’s jacket made her feel all warm inside.

 

How could her jacket still smell like her?

 

She guessed she had a really strong scent.

 

Or maybe Amber just really paid attention to that smell.

 

Oh no.

 

Please no.

 

Not this.

 

Amber growled loudly.

 

No.

 

She punched her pillow twice before she shoved her face into it.

 

She saw a familiar face haunting her, laughing at her as she closed her eyes.

 

Theresa’s face.

 

Her crush’s face.


	20. Chapter 20

Hilda glanced at her twin.

 

She was still somewhat screaming into the pillow.

 

She raised an eyebrow and wondered if she wanted to ask Amber what was wrong.

 

Amber grabbed the jacket on the counter and stormed out of the room.

 

She guessed she shouldn't.

 

~

 

Amber sat down in an obscure corner of the castle, the jacket in her arm.

 

She wanted to burn it.

 

She sighed and found herself wrapping the jacket around herself.

 

She couldn't believe she had a crush on Theresa of all people.

 

She'd been sure she'd never fall for anyone.

 

And yet...

 

She pulled the jacket closer to herself.

 

She felt like laughing.

 

She had no idea what to do.

 

All of the sudden she couldn't think of anything but Theresa's face.

 

Of everything the two of them had done together.

 

Amber has no idea how long she'd liked Theresa.

 

She guessed about six months now that she looked back.

 

Right when she'd started feeling weird around the other girl and didn't want to be her friend anymore.

 

She still didn't want to be Theresa's friend.

 

She wanted to be her girlfriend.

 

Amber screamed into the other girl's jacket.

 

She hated her.

 

She wanted to pull out her cute fluffy hair and beautiful grin.

 

She couldn't even make herself believe that lie anymore.

 

She sighed and tried to think of the girl's most annoying habit.

 

There were so many.

 

The weird way she always had her hand on that sword.

 

The way she had that weird snorting laugh sometimes when she thought something was really funny.

 

But she couldn't find any of these things as bad anymore.

 

She really did like her.

 

More screaming ensued.

 

How was she going to deal with this?

 

There was no way Theresa could like her back.

 

No possible way.

 

How could she like this princess?

 

She'd always hated those terrible, annoying, and pretentious princesses.

 

She'd always wanted to trip Theresa and make fun of her.

 

But now she just wanted to kiss her.

 

She shoved her face into the coat in embarrassment.

 

All that did was remind her of Theresa.

 

~

 

Theresa had her head on Agatha's shoulder and felt her mother's arms around her.

 

She was much taller than Agatha, about three and a half inches, but that didn't stop her from curling up beside her like a child.

 

She knew that this wasn't her father, not yet at least, but it still stung.

 

She hoped that Axel was okay.

 

She shouldn't have said anything about his crush on Nathan.

 

It was uncalled for, but it was in the heat of the moment and she was angry.

 

Agatha stroked her hair and whispered kind words into her ear.

 

~

 

Hester glanced at Anadil.

 

The albino kept looking over at her every once in a while.

 

Her red eyes would go to her rats and then flicker to Hester, then away from her with a weird red tint to her pale cheeks.

 

Hester didn't know why that look on Anadil's face made her want to grin like some silly Ever.

 

~

 

Anadil couldn't take her eyes off of Hester for more than a minute.

 

Then she would see Hester sitting there with her rats and it just made her heart skip a beat.

 

She looked so caring and compassionate, a side of Hester she never got to see.

 

She thought that Hester would make a really good mother.

 

That brought a blush to her cheeks.

 

She didn't know why that made her feel all embarrassed.

 

She also didn't know why it made her feel all warm inside.

 

~

 

Dot glanced at Dede.

 

Were her parents really from different schools?

 

It made her feel all weird inside.

 

She really liked the idea of Evers and Nevers falling in love with each other.

 

Her mind shifted to Kiko and earlier today.

 

It had been a really nice moment, saving her from Hester's wrath and the way she threw Beatrix off of her.

 

Kiko really was a sweet girl.

 

So sweet and pure.

 

She thought the two of them could be... friends.

 

Good friends.

 

Even if they were on opposite sides.

 

Kiko kind of looked like Dede now that she thought about it.

 

They both had those sweet, innocent smiles and pretty pigtails.

 

Kiko had really pretty hair...

 

~

 

Beatrix was still laying down next to Reena.

 

When she had gotten back to their room after Surviving Fairytales, Reena had overreacted.

 

She'd grabbed a fresh set of clothes and a towel for Beatrix instantly and had her go change.

 

After that, Beatrix had given her a quick "Thanks," and gone to study.

 

Reena has not been willing to allow that.

 

"Get over here! I'm not letting you get a cold!" she'd said.

 

She'd grabbed onto Beatrix's hand, making her blush, and pulled her over to one of their beds.

 

She pulled the covers over them and held Beatrix.

 

"Reena, I'm fine," Beatrix said with a deep blush on her face.

 

Wherever Reena touched her, her skin felt on fire.

 

Maybe she really was just that cold.

 

Beatrix had meant to get up after a few minutes, but then she'd fallen asleep in Rena's arms.

 

When she woke up, Reena was asleep too and she couldn't seem to find it within herself to wake the other girl up.

 

She looked so cute with her beautiful gray eyes closed and her breath coming out in a relaxing rhythm.

 

She really was gorgeous.

 

Beatrix let out a sigh and stared at her.

 

Just then, the door opened and a familiar form walked in.

 

It was Milly.

 

She stared at the two of them and broke into a wide grin.

 

Beatrix felt her face turn red at the look.

 

Milly went to the other bed and didn't say anything about the two, but she did keep looking over at them.

 

~

 

Milly found her thoughts straying to earlier today.

 

To when Hilda has saved her in her demon form.

 

She couldn't get the romantic green lighting Hilda's wings had given the two of them.

 

The way her red eyes had stared into her own

 

The way she'd both literally and figurative blocked out the entire world around her.

 

When Hilda was around it seemed like everyone else just disappeared.

 

It was weird, but she really liked it.

 

It didn't happen around anyone but Hilda.

 

She wasn't sure why her.

 

~

 

Serenity closed her dorm room door behind her and slid down until she was sitting down.

 

She sighed and put her head in her hands.

 

She found herself grinning.

 

She couldn't think about anything other than Dede.

 

She had the prettiest smile and the sweetest laugh.

 

The way she wouldn't even join a side because she had friends on both sides she didn't want to hurt them.

 

She was so innocent.

 

She wasn't sure why Dede was a Never...

 

She wants to see why...

 

Actually, she just wanted to see Dede at all.

 

It didn't matter what they were doing.

 

She heard a voice and looked up.

 

She saw Kiko and Nicola both sitting a few feet away.

 

She found herself blushing.

 

She'd thought she was all alone.

 

"Are you okay?" Kiko asked.

 

Serenity nodded and looked away from the two.

 

Nicola was still staring at her.

 

"What are you doing here anyways?" Serenity asked her mother.

 

"Kiko wanted to help me because I don't have a mentor. I must have gotten here too late of something, so now she's my mentor."

 

Serenity raised an eyebrow, but she just nodded and made her way to her own bed.

 

Serenity could hear her mom talking about Hort and she tried not to vomit in her mouth.

 

This was her mom, but she was pining over Uncle Hort.

 

This was messed up.

 

She'd always known that Nicola had had a thing for Hort once, but it had been one thing to know it and another thin entirely to see her mother talking about the weasel boy.

 

She guessed it was a good sign that she was still here.

 

That meant she had a chance to get her parents together still.

 

It was hardly a comforting though, however.

 

But she didn't seem to find time to dwell on it.

 

Her brain was preoccupied with thoughts of Dede.

 

She wondered if the other girl had been trying to help her with convincing Sophie.

 

She hoped so because she'd been doing her best to convince Kiko that Nevers and Evers could be together.

 

That thought made her blush.

 

Weird.

 

~

 

Axel found himself going over what his sister had said to him today.

 

That he had a crush on Nathan.

 

Of course he didn't.

 

He did.

 

He definitely did.

 

He shook her head in irritation and looked at his father.

 

He was sitting on his bed, looking off into the distance.

 

"Who is it? Which one does she like?" he asked suddenly.

 

Nathan was silent, considering.

 

"Amber."

 

Tedros stared at him.

 

"Wait... it's a girl?!"

 

Axel forgot that not everyone was... open to that.

 

And even less people at around this time.

 

"Umm, yeah," he said awkwardly.

 

"She really likes her."

 

Tedros just stared at him.

 

Suddenly, he shrugged.

 

"Okay. I get that... but a Never? And Amber?! She's like a mini Anadil. And Hester. It's actually kind of weird."

 

Axel coughed uncomfortably.

 

"Umm, well, she's basically a mini you. I guess it's not really that weird."

 

Tedros paused for a moment and then nodded.

 

"You're right. But she had to pick a Never?! Does she have to like that?! She could have a nice sweet Ever princess. Like Milly or something."

 

"If you'd picked someone like Milly, you would have picked Beatrix instead of a darkly dressed and completely unexpected Agatha."

 

Tedros stared at him for a long moment.

 

"That's... actually a good point."

 

Axel smirked at the words.

 

"I know. I always have good points."

 

"You sound like Agatha," Tedros said with an eye roll.

 

"I get that a lot," Axel said with a deadpan expression.

 

"Not surprising."

 

Axel laughed and looked at his father.

 

This was the best conversation he had ever had with his dad.

 

It made his heart soar.

 

It was so amazing to have such a good conversation with his dad.

 

~

 

Theresa pulled back from her mother and Agatha gave her a long look.

 

"Are you feeling better?" she asked.

 

Theresa nodded.

 

"Good because I'm going to go yell at Tedros."

 

Theresa's eyes widened at the words.

 

"Wait you're going to what?!"

 

Agatha turned around with a small glare.

 

"He's always been too judgmental ever since he and Sophie broke up."

 

Theresa shook her head violently.

She was here to make sure her parents got to together, not to make them fight.

 

“No, no, it’s okay!” Theresa said, getting up and trying to block the door.

 

Agatha frowned at her.

 

“You don’t have to be scared of him,” Agatha said with a raised eyebrow..

 

Theresa chuckled.

 

“Trust me, I’m not. It’s okay, just sit down.”

 

Agatha stared at her.

 

“You really do look like Tedros. And Axel... thy Amber girl is practically Hester’s twin... and Hilda...”

 

Theresa gulped and forced a laugh.

 

“I know right? It’s so weird! What are the chances?”

 

Agatha continued to watch her.

 

“Next to none...”

 

Theresa nervously ran a hand through her hair and tried to give Agatha a comforting smile.

 

She couldn’t figure this out.

 

Of course she couldn’t.

 

Theresa herself could hardly believe it and she had been the one actually sent back in time!

 

Agatha was quiet for a while after that, just staring at Theresa. But her eyes were distant, like she was thinking about something else.

 

~

 

Nathan laid back and closed his eyes.

 

His mind filled with images of Serenity from today.

 

The way she laughed, the smile she got whenever she did a spell... she really was good at those.

 

Maybe he could ask her to tutor him....

 

The idea sounded wonderful, but something seemed to say... otherwise.

 

He wasn’t sure what.

 

~

 

Dede found herself thinking about Nathan.

 

His weasel face and mischievous grin...

 

And Axel.

 

He was small and really thin, but he was still cute...

 

She shook her head and stopped thinking about boys.

 

She instead thought of her friends.

 

Especially Serenity.


	21. Chapter 21

__A/N: It never really says any heights so I have head-canons for this. Deal with it. Sophie is super short and IT IS NOW WRITTEN IN CANON STONE.

 

This was the third time this week they were having this meeting.

 

"I don't care what the bridge said, she is enrolled in your school and I can't pick up your slack," Professor Dovey said with a scowl.

 

Sophie bristled and stood taller.

 

Even at her full height (and with two inch red stylish heels that she was wearing) she was still a bit shorter than Dovey.

 

Sophie wasn't short exactly... but then again, she was.

 

She would never say such a thing, but she stood about head and shoulders shorter than Hester and even Agatha was about two inches taller than her.

 

Even Dot, the annoying rotund witch, was about an inch and a half taller than Sophie.

 

But that wasn't the point.

 

The point was that Sophie was not taking that annoying girl back into her school!

 

"Just because you've been a dean longer than me doesn't mean you can make me back down, Clarissa."

 

The dean of Good gave her a not so Good glare, but Sophie stood her ground.

 

There was a long moment in which the two just stared each other down.

 

But at the end, Professor Dovey had come up with a compromise.

 

Sophie had almost disagreed, but she planned on having a five hour bath tonight and she needed to get back to Evil...

 

So she sighed and agreed hastily before turning on her heel and walking out

 

~

 

And that's how Sophie found herself stuff with the annoying little know-it-all in her classroom.

 

She wanted nothing more than to strangle the life out of her.

 

She seemed to be answering more questions than Hester.

 

She had even pointed out a mistake that Sophie had made.

 

She had almost thrown the chalk in her hand at the girl.

 

Nichole (Sophie thought was her name at least, but she could easily be wrong) was smirking as she looked at her.

 

Did she enjoy making Sophie angry?!

 

She wasn't sure, but it was certainly working.

 

The blond was just about foaming at the mouth (though of course she didn't look that way. She had standards to uphold, even if she was a Never. Everyone has the duty to look respectable in front of others).

 

"Can anyone tell me what snake skin is used for?"

 

The girl (Natasha?!) was the first to raise her hand, but she didn't wait to be called on to answer.

 

"It's used for invisibility. But anyone that's read your story knows that."

 

She had that annoying smirk on her face that made Sophie want to throttle her.

 

Nobody would mind if she killed just one infuriating student, would they?!

 

She took a calming breath.

 

"Well, if you know so much about the subject, how about you come up here and identify the snakeskin for yourself?"

 

Sophie knew she sounded confrontational.

 

That was because she was confrontational.

 

She threw fifteen types of fabric onto the desk.

 

The girl (Natalie?!) stood and came to the front of the room, not even seeming to notice as all her classmates stared at her with scowls and barely concealed whispers.

 

She stopped when she reached the edge of Sophie desk and threw her head back, pulling a small hair tie off of her wrist and putting her hair up quickly and professionally.

 

Sophie scoffed at the action and rolled her eyes.

 

Even just putting up her hair this girl seemed cocky.

 

Sophie wanted nothing more than to wipe the smugness off of the girl's face.

 

The girl (Natalia?!) stood up straight and stared into Sophie's eyes with quiet rebellion.

 

But to meet her gaze, Sophie had to crane her neck.

 

The girl was slender with medium to long black hair. She wasn't exactly tall, but she was above average and that made her practically a giant compared to Sophie.

 

The girl (Nova?!) looked down at the fabrics and slowly felt through all of them.

 

Her hair cascaded down and hung on her neck, barely held back by the hair tie.

 

Her hair was kind of pretty...

 

Sophie had no idea what was wrong with her.

 

"This one."

 

Sophie was gazing up into the girl's eyes for a moment before she remembered what they were talking about.

 

She looked down at the fabric in the girl's hands.

 

It was, indeed, the snakeskin.

 

She ground her teeth.

 

"That's right."

 

The girl (Nora?!) was still smirking as she looked at the dean.

 

She wanted to destroy the other girl.

 

How did she know everything?!

 

Sophie wanted nothing more than to find something that the slightly younger girl didn't know!

 

The girl's eyes glinted with a smug light and she looked into Sophie's.

 

The blond found that she suddenly couldn't breathe.

 

The girl (Naomi?!) really did have the most beautiful eyes. Even though she looked like a know-it-all nerd and really was one... well, sometimes nerds could be pretty...

 

Sophie felt her eyes widening.

 

Why would she find the girl (Nevaeh?!) pretty?!

 

She had no idea what was wrong with her.

 

She didn't notice the way Amber, Hilda, and Dede stared at them.

 

All three of them looked excited, especially Dede who was currently almost giggling and had to clamp a hand over mouth to stop herself.

 

The girl (Nadia?!) turned around far too quickly and walked back to her seat.

 

She wasn't facing her, but Sophie could still imagine that insufferable smirk on her face.

 

Just because she was kinda sorta pretty didn't mean she should be so smug.

 

Alright, now Sophie just wasn't making any sense.

 

But did she ever?

 

If you asked Agatha (or pretty much anyone), the answer would be no.

 

Sophie realized the girl (Norah?!) was back at her seat and she coughed, clearing her throat and looking away, trying to remember where to go next in her lesson.

 

She found she was distracted for the rest of class and was even more upset with the girl (Natalya?!) than she was earlier.

 

What was wrong with that crazy girl?!

 

That stupid know-it-all.

 

That sounded like an oxymoron.

 

But this girl (Nadine?!) had her all rattled.

 

The girl-Sophie almost let out a growl.

 

What was her name?!

 

Why hadn't she listened more during her meeting with Professor Dovey.

 

The girl (Nelly?!) was staring at her with a (perfect) raised eyebrow.

 

The rest of the class was staring at her too.

 

She turned away to write on the blackboard.

 

She didn't look back at the other students and felt her face heating up.

 

What was happening to her?!

 

~

 

The end of class couldn't come soon enough.

 

By the end of the school day, Sophie was still thinking about the girl (Nyah?!) and how she wanted to figure out something that stumped her.

 

Something that she couldn't possibly know so she could laugh in the girl's face (Norinne?!) because she didn't know something that Sophie did.

 

That sounded so tantalizing that she found herself smirking.

 

There was a knock on the door and Professor Dovey entered the room.

 

She had a small smile.

 

"She's an Ever."

 

Sophie would have danced in excitement if she had said that yesterday, but now she felt something in her heart stir.

 

"Really?" she asked.

 

Professor Dovey smiled at her and nodded.

 

"Yes, you don't have to worry about her anymore."

 

The words made her heart sink.

 

She didn't know why...

 

She suddenly figured out why.

 

Because she wanted to find something she knew more about than that girl (Neila?!).

 

What was the girl's name?!

 

She was getting all frustrated now.

 

"Well, I say she's a Never."

 

Professor Dovey stared at her in shock.

 

"What?"

 

Sophie stared at her, making eye contact.

 

"I said that she's a Never."

 

"This morning, you would have done anything to get her out of your school, but now you want to keep her. What happened?"

 

Sophie paused for a moment.

 

What had happened?

 

An annoying, frustrating, know-it-all Ever came into my class and I decided to knock her down a peg, Sophie thought.

 

Of course that was what had happened.

 

She smiled, a fake smile of course, and looked into Professor Dovey's eyes.

 

"Because she's a Never," she said sweetly.

 

What is her name?!

 

Sophie went through a list of names that started with 'n'.

 

Nona?

 

Nari?

 

Naomie?

 

Nobuko?

 

Nioma?

 

Nysa?!

 

She was starting to just make up names at this point.

 

"Nicola is an Ever, she got a perfect score on my test today."

 

Nicola! That's her name!

 

"And she got first place in my class today. As always, the best Never is one that can convince everyone they're an Ever."

 

She turned on her heel and strode out again.

 

She was tired of talking to the other dean.

 

She was tired of thinking about this Nicola girl.

 

At least she knew her name now.

 

But that didn't stop her from thinking about her. Or thinking about the way she would outsmart the other girl.

 

Nicola.

 

It was a pretty name.

 

She should have guessed it.

 

How had she ever forgotten that name?

 

She wasn't sure.

 

The girl was... definitely unique.

 

Very smart.

 

~

 

The next day, when she saw Nicola in her classroom, she watched her closely.

 

She called on her at the end of class and asked her to classify the curse and its affects.

 

She easily did and had that insufferable smirk that she always had.

 

It made Sophie want to scream.

 

The day after that, she asked the girl to demonstrate an appropriate death trap for a princess.

 

She created an easy one in which a rabbit was seemingly caught in a hunter's trap and crying as loudly as it could.

 

As soon as the princess touched the animal, she would be hoisted into the air in a net and dangled a few feet above head.

 

Sophie soon found that she wasn't sure if she knew anything the younger girl (Nicola!) didn't.

 

She was coming to a blank.

 

But she'd come up with something.

 

Of course she would.

 

Of course.

 

And she definitely didn't spend her bath the following night reading up on obscure spells and curses that she could possibly have the other girl try to and figure out.

 

~

 

Dede had been spending all her time trying to convince Nicola that Sophie deserved a chance.

 

She didn't seem interested in friendship or romance with the other girl, but she was definitely intrigued by the notion of irritating Sophie as much as possible.

 

The young girl supposed that was a first step.

 

That's what Amber had done with Theresa too, so she guessed that was good enough for now.

 

As if thinking the same thing, Amber blushed from her place on her and Hilda's bed.

 

She hadn't said anything about it since the day she'd discovered her feelings for Theresa.

 

She tried to ignore the girl at lunch, but the princess of Camelot would always find a way to get her to talk.

 

But then Amber would turn red and become what is scientifically referred to as a stammering mess of emotions.

 

Dede had trouble not laughing every time it would happen.

 

Theresa would get all confused and make sure Amber was okay, in the process coming closer to the other girl than Amber was currently capable of handling.

 

Yes, it was an awkward situation all around.

 

~

 

Nicola was tired of going to both schools.

 

She had twice as much homework and twice as many classes.

 

But to be honest she was enjoying it.

 

She slept in the School for Good, as her things were already there, and shared a room with Serenity and Reena.

 

There was something familiar about Serenity, but she couldn't quite figure out what it was.

 

Snot that she focused much on that.

 

She was too busy wondering what test Sophie would have for her tomorrow and how she could beat the Evil dean.

 

That was her favorite part of the day.

 

That and getting to see Hort in all of their shared classes...

 

She grinned and her thoughts circled between the two, very different, Nevers.

 

Serenity quietly watched her with a worried expression.


	22. Chapter 22

Amber wasn't good with emotions.

 

He just wasn't.

 

And that meant she ended up trying her best to ignore Theresa.

 

But the princess was now sitting beside her at lunch and giving her biggest grin.

 

"I heard Nicola and Sophie are making progress. How are your moms?"

 

Amber looked into her eyes and wondered for a moment if she was just messing with her.

 

But Theresa looked so genuine... and pretty... and Amber felt her face heating up.

 

"They're fine," she said gruffly and looked down at her food to avoid meeting those warm, inviting ocean blue eyes.

 

"That's good. I'd rather see you be born."

 

It wasn't even that nice of a sentiment, but Amber still found her heart beating three times faster than normal.

 

Felt her palms sweating and her face reddening.

 

She didn't respond to that, but Theresa didn't seem to care.

 

She launched into a conversation about this or that, her school life and her parents, her sword training and placement in school ranks (top of the new generation).

 

And Amber wanted to find that annoying.

 

She blissfully frustrating.

 

But for everything she would have said Theresa gloated about, she asked about Amber.

 

Her pristine blue eyes looked into Amber's black ones and she kept that somewhat playful smirk in place on her lips.

 

Amber tried her hardest not to stare at those lips.

 

Hilda seemed to be getting worried about her and sometimes glaring at Theresa as if her sister suddenly getting tongue-tied was her fault.

 

And it was, but not for the reasons Hilda seemed to think.

 

And for all she noticed about Amber, she seemed so cursedly ignorant about Milly.

 

The way Milly still watched her and would blush whenever Hilda talked about her evil schemes.

 

Amber was still waiting for Theresa to demand her jacket back, but she didn't even seem to remember it existed.

 

And so the Never kept it by her bed.

 

She told herself that she would give it back if and when Theresa asked for it, but she also knew that if she did ask she would just lie and say she threw it away or burned it.

 

Emotions were stupid.

 

~

 

Anadil was shooting Hester fervent glanced as they sat at their bench under their tree.

 

The tattooed Never didn't seem to notice the way Anadil kept looking at her, but another witch did.

 

Dot.

 

Of course she noticed.

 

Anyone who wasn't blind would have seen the way Anadil stared at Hester.

 

Or how Anadil would suddenly not be so pale when Hester would brush up against her as they sat.

 

Or when Anadil would wake up beside Hester in the morning (they'd been doing this ever since Dede had burned down the room they'd had and the three had started staying in theirs) and suddenly have a mini heart attack.

 

Dot saw it all.

 

And that's why she had pointed it out to Anadil as the albino was as blind as Hester was.

 

She needed to tell her if she was ever going to do anything about her feelings.

 

That had been last night.

 

Dot had been reminded of how Amber had reacted when Dede had spoken to her.

 

It was... eerily similar to say the least.

 

Anadil had denied it fervently and glared at Dot, looking like she wanted to curse her.

 

But when Hester had come into the room with her devious eyes alight with what could only be mischief and her mouth turned into a malicious smirk... Anadil had gone speechless as she watched the tattooed witch.

 

After that, she wouldn't even look at Dot.

 

She took that as a victory.

 

Of course it was a victory!

 

Anadil had feelings for Hester!

 

It was only cemented more when Hester laughed at a cruel joke Anadil had somehow been able to make (Dot wasn't sure how she'd managed it considering she had been tongue-tied for almost five minutes before hand) and Anadil had just watched her with her beady blood red eyes wide.

 

But as Anadil sat in the dorm room, all alone, she finally let out a growl.

 

She screamed into her pillow until she suddenly heard the door opening.

 

She looked up and saw a small form making their way in.

 

It was Amber.

 

She looked very frustrated and like she was going to punch something (or someone, both equally likely knowing her).

 

"What's up?" Amber asked.

 

She wanted to turn her thoughts away from Theresa and her stupid beautiful blue eyes.

 

Anadil was silent.

 

Amber took a second to consider.

 

Screaming into her pillow and not wanting to talk about it.

 

She recognized that.

 

Recognized it because that was how she herself was acting.

 

About Theresa.

 

About her horrible, frustrating, annoying crush on the heir of Camelot.

 

"You like Hester."

 

Anadil's head shot up and she stared at Amber with wide eyes.

 

"No I don't. Did Dot tell you?!"

 

Amber laughed at the contradiction her mother had just made.

 

"No, she didn't tell me."

 

"Then how do you know?"

 

Amber took a moment to consider.

 

Telling the truth was preferable to what she was about to say.

 

"Because you're acting like me."

 

Anadil looked confused and stared at Amber.

 

"I...," she took a deep breath and then forged ahead.

 

"I like someone too and this is how I have been... dealing."

 

She word dealing was laughable considering this was practically just burying her head in the sand and hoping her problem would go away.

 

Anadil stared at her with those blood red eyes that were almost the perfect match to Hilda's.

 

"Who?"

 

Amber would rather choke her own mother than tell her, but she forced herself to say it.

 

"Theresa."

 

She grated the name out and looked like she was about to throw up as she did it.

 

Anadil just stared at her.

 

"Yeah, yeah, I know she's an Ever. Trust me, I'm as enthused as you."

 

"You can't control who you like," Anadil said with a sigh.

 

Amber stared at her.

 

She hadn't realized she and her mom were feeling the same way.

 

She had a chance here.

 

A chance to make sure she was born.

 

"I think you should just tell her how you feel," Amber said.

 

Anadil stared at her incredulously.

 

"Yeah right. You're not going to tell Theresa, so why should I tell Hester?"

 

Amber cursed internally.

 

She had a chance.

 

If she told Theresa she liked her, then she could get Anadil to tell Hester.

 

A part of Amber said she would rather bite off her own foot.

 

"Whatever, I was just trying to help."

 

Anadil rolled her eyes.

 

"Well, don't."

 

She turned her back on Amber and the two were silent.

 

Amber knew she'd messed up and she had to do something.

 

A part of her screamed to tell Theresa, but she squashed it.

 

She was not telling that stupid princess just to get rejected.

 

"Feelings suck."

 

Anadil turned her head and looked at her daughter.

 

"Yeah."

 

"I was perfectly fine without them! I would have been happy to just do my own thing, but no. I have to fall for the most infuriating princess in history."

 

Anadil snorted.

 

"At least you don't have to spend all day with her. Hester is always around. I want to be upset, but I'd just miss her."

 

Amber nodded in understanding.

 

She'd always thought her parents had a storybook romance (well literally they did because it was in an actual storybook, but she didn't mean it that way), but now she was seeing how they were before.

 

Anadil was just as confused and frustrated as she was with Theresa.

 

She silenced the voice that told her maybe things could work between her and the princess.

 

Anadil's eyes suddenly glinted with mirth.

 

"Do you still have her jacket."

 

Amber blushed.

 

"If you aren't careful I'll throw it at you."

 

Anadil snickered.

 

"By the way, I've seen you in the mornings when you wake up beside Hester," Amber said.

 

Anadil instantly turned pink and glared at her.

 

Amber laughed and shook her head at her mom.

 

"We really have it bad," the younger girl muttered.

 

"We're hopeless."

 

Amber felt her heart sinking slightly.

 

One of them was hopeless, but she knew for a fact that Anadil wasn't.

 

She pushed that thought away.

 

The two spent the next half hour complaining about emotions and how life would be much better without them.

 

But they also sprinkled in their favorite things about their respective crushes.

 

It seemed as if they contradicted themselves at least once a minute.

 

"I can't believe you like Theresa! She's like the Tedros of your friend group," Anadil said.

 

Amber glared.

 

"She's way smarter than that oaf."

 

She paused for a moment and then continued.

 

"And better with spells."

 

Anadil shook her head as she laughed and Amber felt her face heating up.

 

She was about to snap and tell Anadil to stop insulting Theresa, but the door opened and two forms strode in.

 

They walked in perfect sync, looking almost identical in confidence and demeanor (although the clear physical similarities were their height and their respective tattoos).

 

Hilda looked between the two and then her red eyes flashed in understanding.

 

Amber could tell she was asking if she'd made any progress with Anadil.

 

She nodded just slightly, something that nobody else would have noticed.

 

She raised one eyebrow just a hair (puns) and glanced at Hester.

 

Hilda rolled her eyes and made an annoyed expression, holding up her hands and looking like she wanted to throttle Hester's neck.

 

Amber snickered and glanced at Anadil, wondering if she'd noticed.

 

But she shouldn't have worried.

 

Anadil was watching Hester as she sat down on their bed beside her.

 

The two had a whispered conversation and Anadil seemed to be in a dazed state as she watched her.

 

Amber rolled her eyes.

 

She didn't look like that when she was with Theresa.

 

Of course not.

 

But suddenly she remembered the other day when she and Theresa had been talking at lunch.

 

Theresa had been smirking as always and Amber hadn't noticed her twin trying to get her attention until she actually screamed her name.

 

Amber blushed and turned away from her sister.

 

Hilda raised an eyebrow and stared at her sister.

 

She needed to figure out what was going on with her.

 

But all of her thoughts seemed to revolve around one specific Ever that was just so...

 

She didn't know how to explain it.

 

Milly was just... different.

 

She saw everything in such an amazing, unique way that Hilda had never seen anyone else do.

 

She wasn't sure why she was thinking like this.

 

It was weird.

 

She shook her head and then sat down beside her sister, glancing at their parents.

 

Hester had leaned over and was whispering to Anadil, their faces less than an inch apart.

 

The albino didn't seem so devoid of color anymore as she tried not to focus on the close proximity of her future wife.

 

Hilda rolled her eyes.

 

People were always in denial about their crushes and it was annoying.

 

She had more important things than dealing with these emotionally stunted people.

 

Such as tying to figure out why Milly made her heart beat twice as fast.

 

That was far more important.

 

~

 

There was an awkward silence between Theresa and Tedros.

 

There had been ever since he had heard she liked Amber.

 

But as they entered the sword training class, Theresa broke it.

 

She drew her sword and grinned at her father.

 

"Let's go show them what real swordsmen look like."

 

Tedros stared at her for a long moment, clearly considering.

 

He finally made the same grin that she herself was making.

 

"We'll see if you can keep up."

 

"Me?! Keep up?! Come on, old man."

 

Tedros laughed and they prepared themselves for the inevitable onslaught of their fellow classmates.

 

By the end of class, they were back to normal.

 

Tedros still didn't think it was okay for Theresa to like Amber, but he let it be and they were soon joking and laughing together.

 

Everything was back to normal for them.

 

But not everything was normal for several others.


	23. Chapter 23

Nevers can love Evers?

 

Dot was still thinking about that.

 

Was she right?

 

Her eyes traveled across the lunch clearing and landed on a certain Ever that was wearing her cute little black hair in pigtails.

 

In case you couldn't tell, she meant that she was thinking about Kiko.

 

She was so cute.

 

Kiko spilled a bit of food onto her lap and let out a little shriek.

 

Dot giggled, making Hester and Anadil look at her with confused looks.

 

But the albino looked away after a minute and started to subtly watch Hester.

 

Hester was complaining about something or other and Anadil was trying her hardest not to stare at her in awe.

 

Ever since she'd realized how she felt about Hester, she'd been having a hard time not practically screaming how she felt about the tattooed witch whenever they were within a few feet of each other.

 

The way she looked at Hester perfectly mirrored her younger daughter, Amber, as she sat beside Theresa.

 

Theresa didn't seem to notice and she kept talking to her, but she was also quite obviously trying to invade the other girl's personal space (something that made Amber get very flustered and uncomfortable, but also annoyingly excited which just made her angry at stupid feelings).

 

"Ther, where's your jacket by the way?" Axel asked from across the table.

 

Hilda started snickering beside Amber and the latter started blushing and trying not to look at Theresa.

 

"Ummm, I think I lost track of it. I'll get one when we get back home," Theresa said, but she knew that Amber had it and tried not to smirk too much as the other girl coughed awkwardly and looked away.

 

Milly looked at Amber with a raised eyebrow and then back at Hilda (who she had barely taken her eyes off of all lunch).

 

Hilda leaned over and whispered about the jacket in her ear and Milly started blushing.

 

Dede and Nathan were talking.

 

Serenity and Axel, who were sitting beside each other, were both staring at the two with the same expression. It wasn't hard to tell they were related, even though they weren't similar in appearance at all.

 

Axel glanced at his cousin and frowned, looking over at Dede and Nathan.

 

His heart stuttered for a moment.

 

Did she like Nathan?!

 

Were they going to get together?!

 

It made his heart ache.

 

But he'd be happy for Nathan, right? He'd try at least and-

 

He stopped that train of thought as he caught sight of Dede saying something to Serenity.

 

His cousin lit up with excitement and looked very happy with the turn out.

 

His eyes widened as he watched Dede playfully punch Serenity on the arm, making the latter girl go all pink and stutter for a moment.

 

That confirmed his suspicions.

 

Serenity liked Dede.

 

That made his heart start beating again.

 

She didn't like Nathan.

 

He felt guilty about that, but he grinned anyways.

 

Then he realized that he and Serenity both liked people that were clearly in love with other people.

 

He set a hand on Serenity's shoulder consolingly.

 

She made a frown, looking confused.

 

He glanced at Dede and then back at her for a second to try and communicate his thoughts.

 

She didn't look any less confused and he decided to talk to her after lunch.

 

Across the clearing, Hester watched Amber and Theresa with narrowed eyes and a distasteful expression on her face.

 

She didn't like that princess.

 

Not one bit.

 

She didn't like her cocky attitude or her self assured smiles... but the thing she liked least about the younger girl was the way she and Amber talked.

 

How Amber wouldn't take her eyes off of the swordswoman and they had suddenly gotten closer a few days ago.

 

For some inexplicable reason, Hester felt protective of Amber and Hilda.

 

She didn't like it.

 

She'd only felt protective over two other people in her life, those two being Dot and Anadil.

 

Anadil raised an eyebrow and continued to watch Hester.

 

"Who are you glaring at?" she asked bluntly.

 

Hester jumped and then shot a look at Anadil.

 

"Theresa. I don't like that girl."

 

Anadil was silent do a moment, remembering what Amber had confided in her about the warrior princess.

 

"She's alright."

 

Hester whipped her head around and glared at Anadil.

 

The albino tried not to get lost in those amazingly beautiful dark, flinty black eyes that made Anadil's heart flutter like some stupid Ever and she hated those eyes (she's lying, she loves them).

 

"She's annoying and a good influence on Amber, which is bad!"

 

Anadil laughed quietly.

 

Hester raised an eyebrow and Anadil tried to look anywhere but at Hester and her attractiveness...

 

Anadil may or may not be having lots of trouble dealing with her crush on Hester.

 

Across the clearing, someone else was having the same problem.

 

Beatrix glanced at Reena as she set her head on Beatrix's shoulder.

 

"I hope someone asks me to the Snow Ball this year...," she said with a pointed look at Beatrix and a raised eyebrow.

 

Beatrix did not get the memo and started to think about someone taking Reena to the Snow Ball.

 

It made her heart ache.

 

Then she imagined going with Reena.

 

As friends, of course.

 

Of course.

 

It's not like she liked Reena.

 

"Uh, yeah. I don't know," Beatrix said with a small sad expression.

 

Reena tried not to sigh in exasperation.

 

"Yeah, boys are over rated. We learned that last year," she said.

 

Beatrix stared at Reena for a moment and felt her face start heating up.

 

"Yeah... we should just forget them," Beatrix said, wondering if she'd said the wrong thing and upset Reena.

 

The girl grinned and moved closer to Beatrix.

 

She could feel Reena's breath on her neck and it made her whole body erupt into shivers.

 

Reena smirked and put her hand on Beatrix's arm playfully.

 

"Definitely... maybe we should just, I don't know, go together?"

 

Beatrix gulped, finding her throat closing up at the thought.

 

"Like, uh," Beatrix didn't get the chance to finish as Reena started speaking.

 

"I mean as friends!" Reena said with a giggling laugh that sounded like the chiming of bells and made Beatrix's insides melt.

 

Beatrix tried to ignore how weird she felt about Reena saying "as friends" because she had no idea why it made her heart hurt.

 

Reena rubbed Beatrix's arm and she forced herself to speak.

 

"Yeah, sure, we can go together."

 

Reena beamed at her with that beautiful smile of hers and Beatrix tried not to blush as Reena moved a bit closer to Beatrix.

 

Agatha, who was sitting beside Tedros, looked over at Theresa and Amber as they continued to talk about who knows what.

 

She looked happy and Amber was having difficulty taking her eyes off of Theresa, so she guessed things were going well.

 

Agatha had gotten Tedros to apologize to Theresa, even if he still thought this was going to go poorly, and she had forgiven him.

 

The two sat together showing far too much PDA and making Kiko feel a bit like a third wheel.

 

She was seated beside Agatha and debated going over to sit by Reena and Beatrix, but then she saw that the former was all over the latter (who was currently blushing profusely and looking like she wasn't sure what to do, an odd and out of character response for Beatrix that made Kiko slightly confused) and Kiko decided to stay where she was.

 

She almost jumped for joy when Nicola asked if she could sit beside her.

 

Kiko nodded enthusiastically and moved over to make room, meaning she moved away from Agatha and Tedros who were still being all touchy feely over there.

 

Kiko and Nicola started talking about classes soon after and Kiko tried to keep her eyes from wandering over to where the three witches of room 66 sat.

 

She'd been thinking about Dot a lot lately and it made her very confused and nervous.

 

She didn't know how to feel about that.

 

The last person that had made her feel that way had been Tristan and she didn't like what that implied about her and Dot.

 

Before Kiko could go down that rabbit hole, another form appeared.

 

A very short blond figure that was probably supposed to be in her office or classroom.

 

But instead Sophie swept over and stole the spot beside Agatha that Kiko had vacated.

 

"Aggie!" she said happily, giving the Ever a hug.

 

It was awkward and she actually forced Tedros away from her best friend a bit.

 

Nicola snickered as Tedros glared at Sophie and the blond glanced over, her eyes shooting to the dark-skinned girl.

 

She looked away quickly and focused on Agatha, but her gaze kept slipping to the other girl.

 

Kiko raised an eyebrow at the exchange and wondered what could be going on there.

 

She'd heard that Nicola was going to classes at both schools, which meant that she must be learning from Sophie (which was truly a horrifying thought. In fact, Sophie teaching any member of the next generation was concerning).

 

Sophie looked at the surprisingly tall pile of books that sat on the table next to Nicola and tried to memorize the titles.

 

They were fairytales she herself had never even heard of and she promised herself that she would read them tonight to see if there was something in them that she had been planning to use to show up Nicola.

 

She'd been reading a lot of fairytales recently while looking for the smallest and most insignificant piece of information that she could know that Nicola didn't.

 

She honestly hadn't found a single thing yet and it just made her more upset with the younger girl.

 

How could the girl know everything?!

 

That didn't seem fair!

 

She didn't know how the girl had found enough time to read all these books at least five times and memorize everything inside of them!

 

That just seemed impossible!

 

Sophie found herself wondering, not for the first time, if Nicola had read her fairytale.

 

She wondered what the slightly taller girl thought about her... her book, she meant.

 

Of course.

 

Not like Sophie would ever care what the other girl thought about her.

 

Not at all.

 

Nicola didn't seem to notice that Sophie was giving her so much attention and went on with her lunch, somehow both reading a book and carrying on a conversation with Kiko at the same time.

 

Like how was that even possible?!

 

Sophie didn't think it was.

 

Maybe she was using some sort of spell!

 

Yes, that would make sense!

 

She was probably also using a spell to make Sophie unable to stop thinking about her.

 

Sophie frowned and kept glancing at the girl while continuing a conversation with her Aggie.

 

It was almost as impressive as Nicolas's reading and talking considering how much attention she was giving the younger girl.

 

Speaking of watching a girl, Hort was staring at Sophie from across the clearing and trying his best not to look at the beautiful, of somewhat nerdy, girl that sat with her.

 

He noticed that Sophie was also looking at her and frowned.

 

What could that be about?

 

What would Sophie care about some first year that wasn't even a Never (or at least she was in the middle of two schools fighting over her).

 

Ravan glanced at Hort and then looked over at the two girls he kept staring at.

 

Ravan sighed, wondering why he had ever let himself fall for the other Neverboy.

 

Hort would never look at him the way he looked at those girls.

 

Raven's only consolidation was that Sophie was totally checking out the other girl.

 

Ravan was shocked for a second and took a second look.

 

Sure enough, Sophie was still watching Nicola and sometimes getting distracted by Agatha, but not often. Actually, it was usually the opposite as in she'd be watching Nicola and Agatha would snap at her and she'd jump.

 

At least Hort wouldn't get the girl of his dreams, but that still made Ravan sad for his beloved little weasel boy.

 

Seems like everyone here in the clearing was having trouble with romance.


	24. Chapter 24

Sophie didn't know what it was about the first year, but she still found herself spending her normal bath time looking for things that Nicola wouldn't know.

 

So far, she had only found things that Nicola had excelled at.

 

She was reading The Tale of the Spider and the Fly when it finally hit her.

 

"Spider silk!"

 

Sophie shot up with a wide grin.

 

She grabbed a piece of paper and scribbled down the next day's plan.

 

Nicola wasn't going to know what hit her.

 

She found herself imagining the girl's face...

 

Her beautiful caramel brown eyes would widen (as if her eyes weren't already big enough to let her drown in their depths) and her mouth might open up slightly...

 

Sophie realized she was smiling as she thought about the girl and her eyes widened.

 

Just because Nicola was really pretty doesn't mean that...

 

Sophie found that she couldn't finish out her thought.

 

She wasn't sure where it was supposed to be going.

 

But of course she didn't think Nicola was pretty.

 

Of course not.

 

It's not like Sophie wanted to run her hand through that beautiful dark brown hair...

 

Of course she didn't want to.

 

And it's not like Nicola was constantly on her mind and she couldn't find a way to get any relief from the thoughts of the dark skinned girl.

 

Suddenly, Sophie realized she needed to talk about this.

 

And she knew someone who was used to not being able to get someone out of their mind.

 

~

 

Hort glanced at Ravan beside him.

 

Lately, the two had gotten closer.

 

Ever since Nathan has come this year, actually.

 

It was kind of weird.

 

He'd never noticed that Ravan had really nice hair (even if it was spiky and had the bad boy look that Hort actually really liked)...

 

Hort leaned over and looked at the book Ravan was reading and didn't notice the way Ravan stared at him.

 

Hort was gathering up the courage to say something, though he didn't know what, and Nathan was staring at him and Ravan with an excited expression.

 

"Um, Ravan, I wanted to talk to you about-"

 

Ravan has turned to look at Hort with hopeful eyes.

 

"Hort!"

 

He jumped and stared at the blond haired girl hurrying into the library.

 

The librarian glared and shushed Sophie, but she didn't seem to care at all.

 

"Hort, I need to talk to you."

 

Hort frowned for a moment and found that he wasn't feeling his heart beat twice as fast normal.

 

Which was weird considering Sophie was looking at him with those emerald green eyes and saying that she needed him.

 

"Actually, I was kind of in the middle of something-"

 

Sophie grabbed onto his shirt and tugged him out of the library.

 

He glanced over his shoulder and gave Ravan an apologetic look.

 

"Hort, I have to get some... advice."

 

"What about?"

 

"What... what do you do when you can't get someone out of your head?"

 

Her green eyes stared into his and he felt his heart freeze for a moment.

 

Did...

 

Did she like him?

 

It made him feel a bit happy but not as much as he thought it should.

 

"Umm, Sophie, who are you talking about?"

 

Her face turned a bit pink.

 

"I'd rather not say."

 

Hort felt his eyes widen.

 

Was it really him?

 

Did she like him?

 

"Well, usually it means that you like them," Hort said slowly.

 

Sophie's eyes widened in disbelief and she started to shake her head.

 

"Of course not! That can't be what it means!"

 

Hort raised an eyebrow.

 

"Who is it?"

 

"I just hate them! I don't like them!"

 

Sophie hurried away in a very un-Sophie way that he'd never seen her use before.

 

What was going on with her?

 

~

 

Nicola had a pile of five books beside her.

 

She was reading a bunch of books lately, trying her best to learn everything she could... she didn't want Sophie to show her up.

 

She couldn't let that happen.

 

Kiko and Serenity were both looking at each other with raised eyebrows.

 

Serenity was reading the books all the time, but not like Nicola was right now.

 

It was weird.

 

Like she had a reason to be going even more insane about reading than usual (a hard feat to accomplish considering how much she usually read).

 

~

 

Sophie shook her head.

 

She could have a... crush.

 

She was above that.

 

She was better than that now.

 

She didn't need some man.

 

Of course not.

 

But the person she couldn't get out of her head definitely wasn't a man.

 

No...

 

Nicola was a very beautiful woman that was so smart and funny...

 

A woman that Sophie didn't think she could ever stop thinking about.

 

She was just so...

 

She shook her head in a vain attempt to clear it of thoughts of Nicola.

 

She knew she'd just gotten Hort and dragged him out of the library...

 

And she'd just let him go back to studying.

 

But she let out a very uncharacteristic growl and turned on her heel, marching back to the library.

 

~

 

"So, Ravan, I was trying to s-"

 

"HORT!"

 

He flinched at the familiar voice and shot Ravan an apologetic look before he went back to where he saw Sophie.

 

"What do you want now?" he asked with a smal frown.

 

Sophie was surprised that he was being so hostile, but she didn't comment on it.

 

"I don't like them."

 

Hort just looked at her.

 

"But would should I do if I did happen to like someone?"

 

Hort almost face palmed.

 

"I don't know, Sophie, but I'm kind of busy-"

 

Sophie gave him a somewhat pleading look with her beautiful green eyes.

 

He sighed.

 

"Well, who is he? Some Ever prince?"

 

Sophie colored a bit and shook her head, looking away from Hort.

 

His interest was peaked.

 

"I won't tell anyone," he promised.

 

Was it a Never?

 

Could it actually be him?!

 

Something he'd been waiting for three years might just come true...

 

Sophie was still not looking at him.

 

"Is it a Never?"

 

She shook her head, then froze.

 

"An Ever?"

 

She started to nod, but then shook her head.

 

"Well... see, that's a debate."

 

Hort gaped at her.

 

"But then again the only reason it's a debate is because of me...," she trailed off with a far away look in her eyes.

 

"What?!"

 

Hort was tired of her cryptic answers.

 

Sophie shook her head and sighed deeply.

 

"Just tell me who he is!" Hort snapped.

 

"It's not a he...," Sophie said, glancing at him.

 

His eyes bulged.

 

He thought for a long moment, trying to push away the surprise of Sophie liking a girl.

 

He grimaced.

 

"Is it Agatha?"

 

Sophie gaged.

 

"No! She's my sister!"

 

"Oh yeah, I forgot."

 

Sophie glared at him.

 

"Is it...," Hort paused for a moment to consider the other women that Sophie spent time with, "Hester?"

 

Sophie gaped at him.

 

He shivered at the thought.

 

Those two together...

 

Well, they could easily destroy the world... but he was pretty sure that Hester had someone else she had her eyes on... someone with long pale white hair and beady red eyes (well at least she liked Hester, that was clear to anyone who wasn't blind... well, actually, a blind man probably would have seen).

 

Hort was about to give up when he suddenly re-examined the one hint that Sophie had given him.

 

"It's Nicola," he breathed.

 

Sophie's eyes shot to him and she went to shake her head, but he could already tell that he was right from the panicked expression on her face.

 

"Wow. Not exactly what I thought your type would be."

 

Sophie groaned.

 

"It shouldn't be! She's an annoying little know it all that has to always be right and never puts her books down! She's so smug and when she proves someone wrong she gets this little smirk that just lights up the room...," Sophie grimaced.

 

Hort gaped at her.

 

She didn't just like Nicola, she had it bad.

 

"Hort, what do I do?"

 

She asked it in a very quiet voice, sounding as if she didn't want to ask and was scared that Hort might actually make fun of her.

 

He'd never seen her this nervous, even when they were literally fighting for their lives.

 

"Ask her out?"

 

Sophie shook her head.

 

"She hates me."

 

Hort was about to argue with that, but then he remembered the glares that Nicola had given Sophie when they were in her class and he had to agree.

 

Nicola was not exactly Sophie's biggest fan.

 

"I don't know, Sophie, maybe try to be less annoying?"

 

Sophie gaped at him for a long moment.

 

"Thank you for the riveting advice!" she snapped before stalking off with a low growl.

 

Hort rolled his eyes and turned back to the library.

 

He went in, intent to find Ravan, but the other boy had already left.

 

Hort deflated and slumped back down into his seat.

 

He had had a chance...

 

To do what, exactly, he wasn't sure.

 

But it was important.

 

~

 

Nicola sighed as the bell rang.

 

She gathered her stuff and prepared to make the long trip across the two schools.

 

She had to go to Sophie's class next, which was definitely going to be the worst one of the day.

 

And yet...

 

And yet she found that she was excited for her class.

 

They had this really fun fight going where Sophie would try to to think of something Nicola didn't know and Nicola would prove her wrong by doing it in front of the entire class.

 

She had been studying more than ever lately.

 

She wasn't going to let Sophie get the upper hand... though she doubted she actually could.

 

She doubted Sophie would care enough to look things up in books or know more than Nicola about anything.

 

Was it pompous? Yes.

 

Was it so far proven true? Yes.

 

~

 

Nicola slid into her seat beside Dede and watched as Sophie hurried in a bit late.

 

Sophie pulled a few papers out and set them on the table, glancing up and making eye contact with Nicola for a short moment.

 

She looked down immediately and Nicola didn't notice the small red tint that Sophie's face gained.

 

Hort, however, did notice and stared at Sophie with open disbelief.

 

He'd never seen her so flustered before.

 

Sophie cleared her throat and glanced at her notes before she spoke.

 

"Can anyone tell me about the properties of spider silk?"

 

Nicola froze.

 

Spider silk.

 

She knew this.

 

She had to know this.

 

She'd read about this once, right?

 

Right?!

 

Except she couldn't remember and Sophie was staring at her.

 

"Nicola, perhaps you'd like to tell the class?"

 

She swallowed and went through all her information on spiders in her head at frightening speeds.

 

She couldn't remember anything about silk.

 

What was it?!

 

Sophie was suddenly grinning as she looked at Nicola.

 

"Do you know?" she asked with a fake air of innocence.

 

Nicola continued her manic search for any memory of spider silk, but she didn't find anything.

 

Nothing.

 

She slowly shook her head in defeat, watching as Sophie's emerald green eyes lit up with excitement and victory.

 

"Well, class, spider silk can be used for a number of things, should you be able to get enough, but its defining property is that it is impossibly stretchy."

 

Sophie grabbed some in her hand, a piece that was less than an inch long.

 

She pulled the edges apart and allowed it to stretch a good five feet before letting go with one hand and allowing it to snap back into place.

 

Nicola gaped at her.

 

Sophie tried not to stare at Nicola.

 

She always loved the smug face that Nicola made when she was right (although the weird butterflies she got whenever she saw it made her angry and confused), but the look on her face right now was even better.

 

She was looking at Sophie with genuine intrigue and surprise, like she was impressed that Sophie had known such a thing.

 

She found herself grinning and had to bite her lip to stop herself.

 

She'd impressed her.

 

That made her more happy than it should.


	25. Chapter 25

Nicola tried not to keep gaping at Sophie, but she was still surprised that she'd known that about spider silk.

 

Something that she herself hadn't known.

 

It was... impressive.

 

Sophie could see the expression on Nicola's face and she tried not to giggle at it.

 

~

 

Amber heard something slide under the door and frowned, standing up and picking up the few pieces of paper that were sitting there on the floor.

 

Dear Amber,

 

You have been invited to the annual No Ball, hosted on December 28th.

 

Dates are allowed and encouraged!

 

The paper was on a small black paper in the shape of a cauldron with the words written with white glitter.

 

There were matching letters for each of those that shared the room.

 

Dot was the only other one there and she excitedly picked up the one with her made on it.

 

"Dates, huh?"

 

Dot was lost in her own little world of thought while she looked out the window, her gaze landing on the other castle.

 

~

 

Theresa heard something slip under the door and her eyes widened.

 

She picked them up, one for her and one for her mother, and eagerly read it.

 

Dear Theresa,

 

You're invited to the annual Snow Ball, hosted on December 27th

 

Dates are mandatory!

 

Theresa grinned and in her mind she already imagined the date.

 

She wondered if she could convince Amber to wear a dress...

 

She wasn't too worried about the other girl liking her back considering the way she was so awkward whenever they had lunch, but she was slightly worried about getting the girl to admit it.

 

The papers were in the shapes of snowflakes with the words written in flowing golden script.

 

She tossed the second one to her mother and Agatha fumbled for a moment before dropping it.

 

Theresa snickered and Agatha glared at her.

 

"So... are you planning on asking Amber?"

 

Theresa smirked and nodded.

 

"Yeah, at some point at least."

 

Agatha laughed and rolled her eyes.

 

"Better do it soon, don't want someone else asking."

 

Theresa considered for a long moment.

 

"I'm pretty sure the idea of romance is a negative for her in general, so I'm pretty sure she won't want to go with anyone."

 

"Then what makes you think she'll go with you?"

 

Theresa flashed Agatha her best grin with a wink.

 

"Who can resist this?"

 

She gestured at herself and Agatha rolled her eyes while Theresa laughed.

 

Agatha threw a pillow at Theresa and she fell off the bed, spraying out in the floor in a very undignified way.

 

"Yes... who wouldn't want that?" Agatha said in a monotone voice as she looked at Theresa on the ground.

 

Theresa laughed and crawled off the ground, flopping back onto her bed.

 

Agatha was quiet for a moment before she looked at Theresa.

 

"I'm sure she'll say yes," Agatha whispered.

 

Theresa lit up and grinned at her mother.

 

~

 

Hort eyed the No Ball invitation for a long moment before he found himself considering.

 

Usually his first thought was of Sophie.

 

But now it was of dark eyes and rebellious hair.

 

~

 

"Can Nevers come to the Snow Ball?"

 

Kiko's head shot up as she saw an Ever asking Professor Dovey.

 

Theresa was also watching with undivided attention for the answer.

 

"It has... never happened before, but yes, anyone who has been invited and their date is allowed to come."

 

The Ever nodded and both Theresa and Kiko were grinning.

 

Kiko was confused for a moment before her thoughts went to Dot and her adorable chocolate brown eyes and sweet smile.

 

Theresa was now in a very in depth conversation with Tedros in which he was shaking his head as if to say no.

 

She laughed and shrugged, clearly indicating that she was not listening to whatever he was saying.

 

~

 

Nicola got back to her room and found not one but two different invitations laying on the ground for her.

 

One for the Snow Ball and the other for the No Ball.

 

She supposed she was technically enrolled in both classes, so perhaps that made sense.

 

They were coming up on the balls, kind of, and the Trial by Tale was creeping up.

 

Nicola was one of the highest ranks in both schools and she needed to have one picked before the Trial by Tale so she could compete.

 

She couldn't very well play for both school, could she?

 

She wondered for a second what she would do about the mandatory date for the Snow Ball, but was soon distracted by thoughts of how Sophie had outsmarted her today.

 

~

 

There was a school assembly later that day, for both schools that is, and everyone was called to the middle of both schools.

 

The teachers informed them of the coming Trial and Balls... and the Circus.

 

But several were distracted at the mention of dates.

 

Anadil was sending Hester looks out of the corner of her eyes and wondering what the woman was thinking about dates.

 

Unlike most years at school, she didn't make fun of dates.

 

Anadil took that as a positive.

 

And when Dot took up far too much room beside them, pushing Anadil into Hester... well, the tattooed witch didn't seem to mind that Anadil had her head on her shoulder.

 

In fact she glanced at her and the barest of smiles graced her lips and she didn't get upset with the pale white hair tickled her neck.

 

Amber and Hilda were both looking at their parents and grinning.

 

But then they got distracted by two different Evers on the other side of the assembly.

 

Theresa glanced over and made eye contact with Amber's dark black eyes.

 

She gave Amber a grin and a wink, leaving her in a very flustered state with her face turning pink and her heart pounding twice as fast.

 

She wondered for a long moment what Theresa could have meant by winking at her.

 

It made her feel very excited, but also nervous and angry that the other girl had such an affect on her.

 

Just a little wink could make her stare and contemplate for a good three minutes.

 

Serenity and Dede were both sitting at the edge of the two groups and kept sending each other looks and quietly discussing what they were doing to help get their parents to get together.

 

Dede leaned over so far that she almost fell out of her seat and Serenity had to steady her.

 

Dede looked up and her chocolaty eyes met Serenity's emerald ones.

 

"Thanks!" she said before pulling herself back into her own seat.

 

But there had been a moment of hesitation and pause as she had been held by the other girl, as if she was thinking about something.

 

But after a few minutes she was talking to Nathan and giggling at everything he said.

 

But somehow her eyes kept going back to Serenity no matter what she did.

 

Axel decided he really needed to talk to Serenity.

 

He ignored the way Nathan was glancing at Serenity and a few times he was trying to get her attention.

 

~

 

They were headed back to the School for Good when Axel grabbed onto Serenity's arm and pulled her back to the side of the trail.

 

"Serenity, I need to talk to you about something."

 

She stared at him in confusion, but nodded for him to continue.

 

"I know you like Dede."

 

Serenity froze and stared at him.

 

"What?"

 

"I said-"

 

"I know what you said! I don't like her."

 

Axel just stared at her.

 

Serenity blushed after a moment and looked away.

 

"So what? She likes Nathan. They'll probably start dating."

 

Axel felt his heart constrict.

 

"But Nathan doesn't like her."

 

Serenity's eyes shot to her cousin.

 

"What?"

 

"He likes you," Axel said with a frustrated look and he threw up his hands.

 

Serenity stared at him.

 

"He does?"

 

Axel quietly considered choking his cousin for not even realizing she had his crush wrapped around her finger.

 

Serenity watched Axel.

 

"And... you like Dede?"

 

Axel threw up his hands again.

 

She frowned for a moment.

 

"No... you like Nathan."

 

Axel nodded and Serenity felt herself finally understanding what was going on.

 

She sighed.

 

"Why do we have to be so dramatic?"

 

"Have you met our parents?!"

 

Serenity and Axel has a moment of joy, allowing themselves to laugh and forget their worries for a bit.

 

"This isn't even the half of it. Did you hear about Theresa and Amber?"

 

Serenity laughed.

 

"I know! Amber can't keep her eyes off of Theresa!"

 

Axel laughed.

 

"Theresa's still trying to figure out how to ask her to the Snow Ball."

 

"They're as much of as mess as we are," Serenity said.

 

Axel raised an eyebrow.

 

"Okay, not quite as messed up as we are... but still," Serenity amended.

 

Axel laughed and nodded.

 

~

 

Amber still couldn't stop thinking about that wink.

 

What could it mean?!

 

Did...

 

No, Theresa couldn't like her.

 

Of course not.

 

She shouldn't even like that annoying little Ever princess... and yet here she was.

 

What was wrong with her?!

 

Well, it all boiled down to one one.

 

Feelings.

 

Disgusting.

 

Amber walked beside her sister, allowing Hester and Anadil to walk a little ways ahead and quietly talk to each other about something.

 

They were speaking so quietly that Hester was hunched over so that she was closer to Anadil and could hear her better.

 

Anadil was trying not to look at Hester, but it seemed like that was difficult for her and she kept failing at it.

 

Dot was walking a little ways behind them and was clearly thinking hard about something or the other as she accidentally walked into a tree.

 

Hilda snickered and Amber joined in.

 

Dot didn't seem to mind and kept walking beside Dede.

 

Dede was also thinking pretty deeply and she looked just like her mom (well, the one that was walking beside her that is).

 

~

 

Teachers started to prepare students for the Trial by Tale as soon as they got back to their schools and started to up their tests to get the best of the best in place for the Trial.

 

There was supposed to be two this year, back to back, one for the fourth years and one for the first.

 

Nicola was somehow still holding a Trial by Tale spot in both schools.

 

Sophie wanted nothing more than to somehow knock her off of one of those leaderboards.

 

But Sophie found that she felt her heart beating quicker as she considered Nicola's spot in the top of both.

 

She knew she was going to have to let Nicola go back to Good at some point, but she was making the most out of the time she had left with Nicola in her class.

 

And by that she meant still researching almost constantly to try and find something else that Nicola didn't know that she did.

 

She loved watching Nicola when she was deep in thought.

 

Her caramel brown eyes had a far away look to them and she sometimes bit her lip when she was in deep concentration about something.

 

She looked absolutely adorable.

 

Sophie shook her head and then let it fall against the wall as she groaned in frustration.

 

She just couldn't think of anything but this infuriating Ever.

 

She hadn't thought about anyone this much since-

 

Well... she couldn't remember the last time she'd ever thought of someone this much.

 

Not even Tedros or Rafal.

 

That was a highly concerning thought.

 

How could she care for Nicola so much?!

 

She was just a stupid first year.

 

~

 

Hester sat down and could see Anadil twitching slightly and looking at her every once in a while.

 

She raised an eyebrow at her.

 

Something was up with Ani and she wanted to know what it was.

 

But whenever she asked what had her upset, she would clam up and claim that it was nothing.

 

~

 

Anadil wasn't the only one have trouble with romance.

 

But, of course, that wasn't a surprise considering the track record of everyone else here.


	26. Chapter 26

Beatrix glanced down at the invitation in her hand.

 

She was used to not knowing who her date would be until the day of the Circus of Talents, but now she had a date.

 

Her face felt hot and she glanced at her best friend/roommate/crush/girl she thought was her soulmate.

 

Reena was reading, but she glanced up and waved at Beatrix with one of her beautiful, genuine smiles that made Beatrix go weak in the knees.

 

Beatrix has never been lovesick.

 

Not even with Tedros.

 

She was honestly just in love with his kingdom and money (yes she was shallow, yes she was still a bit shallow, but she thought she had gotten better).

 

And with Chaddick it had been puppy love, not even more than a crush.

 

But now with Reena...

 

She had everything she heard about in the stories.

 

She had the butterflies and the blushing and the weird need to be close to her.

 

Yes, she had the whole nine yards.

 

She was quite certain that she was in love with the other girl and it was frightening for a multitude of reasons.

 

One of those was that Reena was her best friend.

 

Another was that Reena was a girl and she'd never heard of two girls falling in love.

 

And another was that Reena clearly still had a thing for Chaddick.

 

She'd seen the two of them taking earlier today and it had made her whole body feel as if it was on fire with anger and jealousy.

 

She sighed and forced herself to go back to reading.

 

She didn't see that Milly was watching the two of them with a smirk and was thinking that she would be back home quite soon.

 

And by home she meant back in the right time.

 

~

 

Reena didn't even know if her tactics had been working on Beatrix.

 

She'd been talking to Chaddick earlier today and wondering how he'd gotten Beatrix to go to the Snow Ball with him in their first year.

 

Well, they hadn't actually gotten to go, but he'd gotten her to agree.

 

Chaddick and Beatrix had drifted apart since, but Chaddick told her everything he knew to do.

 

It had come with a lot of making fun of her and pretending that "his little baby Reena was finally growing up," but she'd gotten what she needed.

 

And she had gotten Beatrix to accept her invitation to the Snow Ball.

 

Even if she'd had to say it was all platonic.

 

And the way Reena wanted to kiss Beatrix until she couldn't see straight (well okay she clearly could see straight, but you get the point) was definitely not platonic in any sense of the word.

 

Milly was watching her mothers and wondering if shoving their faces together and screaming "KISS!" would make this whole process work any faster.

 

She decided that it probably wouldn't work and would most likely end in them just asking why she cared so much about the two of them getting together.

 

And that might end up in her never getting born, which was absolutely no pressure at all.

 

Of course not.

 

She wondered how Hilda was doing.

 

That thought made her blush and she looked at her lap, fiddling with her thumbs.

 

Yes, she needed to work things out with Hilda and her feelings toward the diabolical Never soon.

 

~

 

Hester saw Anadil flop onto her bed, which was slightly awkward considering Hester was sitting on Anadil's bed.

 

The albino didn't seem to notice as she bounced and her head landed on Hester's lap (those stupid beds that were hard as rock and made you bounce a good three feet).

 

Hester, however, did notice the suddenly weight on her legs and her head shot down to see Anadil's bright red eyes staring right into her own flinty black ones.

 

Anadil seemed to be waiting for Hester's response, but she didn't say anything and went back to her book.

 

She was studying to make sure she got the top spot for the Trial by Tale.

 

Anadil was in second right behind her, but Dot was only in ninth.

 

Hester guessed it was good that Dot was even in the numbers that went into the Trial.

 

She was also glad that Sophie couldn't compete this year because she was a teacher.

 

The blond was insane.

 

And usually when that came from Hester, it was a compliment or even something that made her in awe of another villain.

 

But instead Sophie's insanity actually worried her just a bit (and by that she meant completely).

 

But that was all of no consequence as she saw Anadil still looking up at her.

 

She wondered if the other girl had anything to say.

 

She went to ask, but she felt the words die in her throat and Anadil suddenly shifted a bit so that she was more comfortable in Hester's lap.

 

She tried to go back to studying, but she found that she couldn't focus on anything but the way Anadil's pale white hair framed her face and how she looked at Hester like she was the only important thing in the whole world.

 

The way her red eyes looked right into Hester's soul... and she seemed to like it.

 

An odd thing considering Hester wasn't even sure how she herself felt about said soul (though she would argue she didn't have one if anyone said anything).

 

She tried to tear her eyes from their contact with Anadil's, but that seemed to be almost impossible.

 

She wasn't the classical pretty that the Evers were, but she was beautiful in a way that put them all to shame.

 

Hester found beauty in her evil laugh and the way Anadil's red eyes lit up with malicious intent.

 

She found beauty in the way Anadil seemed to trust her with her life all the time.

 

It was hard to not find this girl so breathtakingly gorgeous.

 

She wasn't sure how anyone couldn't find themselves distracted by the other girl.

 

Suddenly, Hester realized what she had been thinking and she tore her gaze away.

 

She felt heat rushing to her face and in her embarrassment she didn't seem to notice the face Anadil was making.

 

Her expression was one of hope and awe.

 

Did Hester just look at her like that?

 

Could that mean that...?

 

She hoped that it did.

 

~

 

Hilda and Amber watched their mothers as they had an awkward moment in which they both held a concerning amount of prolonged eye contact and then Hester looked away and coughed, her eyes barely staying on her book as they yearned to trace Anadil's face one more.

 

"You ready for the Trial?" Hilda whispered, quiet enough that she didn't disturb the tension between their parents.

 

"Ready to whoop some Ever arse," Amber replied smoothly.

 

Hilda and Amber were both neck and neck for first place, but so far Hilda was beating her twin by exactly one point.

 

Dede was in fifth place, surprising considering that one of her mothers was ranked several places below her and her other mother was about to enter the Trial for the other school.

 

But nobody mentioned that... perhaps because they were in a different time and nobody knew who her parents were.

 

Nathan held a solid ninth place and was excited as well as nervous for a chance to show what he could do, just like his father (Hort, of course).

 

Amber was excited to win the Trial... but her thoughts also strayed to someone else.

 

Predictably, it was Theresa.

 

It seemed as if she couldn't think of anyone but that girl lately and it was simply infuriating to the young girl.

 

There had to be some way to deal with these annoying feelings, right?!

 

Hilda was currently thinking about a different Ever.

 

~

 

Sophie knew the deadline was coming up and she was going to have to surrender Nicola to the Evers, but she was stalling as long as she could.

 

Ever since she had found something that Nicola had known, she'd redoubled her efforts.

 

Now, every day that she taught it was equally likely for Nicola to know the answer to the question Sophie asked as it was for her to not.

 

Sophie couldn't have been more smug at that than she already was.

 

Nicola was working twice as hard as well, determined to show Sophie that she was the smartest student (and smarter than her but that wasn't something she'd admit out loud).

 

Serenity wondered if this was a healthy environment for a relationship to develop, but when she saw that Sophie was shooting Nicola heart eyes during lunch (she was still eating with Agatha, perhaps to get a peak at the Evergirl), she guessed that it must be.

 

Serenity was sure this was more healthy than how she was dealing with her crush on Dede.

 

Her version of dealing with it was a long time honored tradition of not dealing with it at all.

 

Sophie watched Nicola as she climbed the ranks at Good and she realized that she was definitely going to be in the Trial.

 

Well, she'd known that for a while, but the implications of that set in.

 

Hat meant that Nicola was going to be in danger.

 

As in real danger.

 

It made her stomach churn and her heart race to imagine her being hurt.

 

Nicola was far too precious to be lost.

 

She also realized that the higher she was in the ranks the less time she'd spend in there.

 

So she dropped Nicola out of the School for Evil so she'd have more time to study for the Trial by Tale.

 

And that was when she realized something.

 

She had put Nicola above herself.

 

She had wanted to keep Nicola in her class so that she could see her more... but she had dropped her out of the class so she had a greater chance of winning and not getting harmed.

 

She had put someone ahead of herself.

 

This was what she should have done with Tedros in their first year (okay not exactly what she should have done, but the idea of putting someone in front of herself because she cared about them).

 

She cared for Nicola so much that she was willing to put her ahead of herself.

 

That was honestly a terrifying thought.

 

Sophie hadn't ever cared about someone that much... well, except for Agatha.

 

And Agatha was her sister.

 

That meant that...

 

She really cared for Nicola.

 

More than she was willing to admit.

 

Hort seemed to realize what she had done when Nicola wasn't in class the next day and he looked at her with surprise and more than a bit of disbelief.

 

She wanted to feel insulted at that, but instead she was just worried.

 

Worried about Nicola.

 

~

 

Dot was starting to wish that Kiko would drop off of tenth place and she would be left out of the Trial Tale.

 

Because if she was then she'd be safe, right?!

 

It made her heart ache to imagine the sweet, innocent little Ever in any danger inside the Trial.

 

The sweet, innocent Ever that she realized she'd gotten a crush on.

 

Yes, that was a very concerning thought.

 

She blamed Dede for putting the idea in her head that Nevers and Evers could fall in love.

 

She would have never gotten a crush on Kiko if not for that...

 

Okay that was a lie.

 

Of course she would have gotten a crush without that...

 

But that's what made her realize and accept her feelings.

 

She liked an Ever.

 

And my just any Ever.

 

But the most Everish Ever ever...

 

That was a confusing sentence, but Dot didn't care one bit.

 

Kiko wouldn't hurt a fly and was the furthest thing from a Never.

 

And yet here Dot was, pining over her like there was no tomorrow.

 

There was seriously something wrong with her.

 

Dede glanced at her mother and found herself grinning.

 

She was obviously thinking about Kiko.

 

Maybe the plan really was working!


	27. Chapter 27

The Trial by Tale was coming up soon and in both schools and they were doing their best to prepare their students.

 

The top ten had been chosen for both trials and thy were giving last minute advice and making the uniforms for the competition.

 

The Trial by Tale was just a few days from now and every student, whether they were competitor or not, was excited and nervous.

 

~

 

Theresa was side by side with her father, the two of them fighting off all their classmates without fail.

 

Tedros was second in his year, his fiancé in first, and his daughter was the same in her own year.

 

Theresa's cousin, Serenity, was first in their year due to her obnoxious amount of studying.

 

Axel was in third, but he was barely hanging on to it as Nicola was fighting for it tooth and nail ever since she'd gotten out of the School for Evil.

 

Milly held fifth place, but she too was close to Axel's third place and they'd been switching back and forth all year.

 

Theresa leapt over her father's back and they traded advisories.

 

They didn't have to, but they were enjoying their showing off more than anything.

 

Kiko has secured tenth place for herself while Beatrix and Reena has secured third and sixth respectively.

 

On the Never side, Hester and Anadil were first and third while Hort managed to shove himself in between them at second (something Hester had threatened to kill him for because he'd separate her and her Ani). Dot had claimed sixth place and was quite proud of it. Ravan was in fourth and Hort said he'd wait the thirty minutes for his friend so they could enter together (even if that meant he'd have to wait in the shadows so Hester didn't catch sight of him and angrily sick her demon on him for taking Anadil's place).

 

On the other side of things, the younger side of things she meant, there was Hilda in first place with Amber in second right behind her (Theresa was rather excited that they were going to enter the Trial at the same time as each other and she intended to ask about a truce, do what the older generation never could). Dede was in seventh while Nathan occupies eighth and was quite proud of it.

 

These were their final places and they were just getting practice in today while they viewed the blue forest.

 

Theresa and Tedros, having just won, were now on their way to the forest themselves, actually.

 

~

 

Hester growled at Hort and his eyes widened as her demon twitched menacingly.

 

He hurried off further into the forest to look for where to conduct his plan, but really right now he was just trying to escape Hester.

 

Anadil walked silently by Hester's side and tried not to think about how upset Hester was that she didn't have second place.

 

"I'll kill that little weasel," she muttered.

 

Anadil didn't say that he'd beaten her fair and square.

 

She liked watching Hester when she was angry, but she definitely didn't like it when that anger was directed at her.

 

"Remember, I'll be waiting over there," Hester whispered as she pointed at the top of a tree.

 

"I'll be here when you enter and then we can go and take out all the Evers."

 

Hester didn't mention the fact that she was entering with Agatha and did not intend to harm her friend.

 

Amber and Hilda were planning pretty much the same thing as their parents, aside from Anadil and Hester totally wanting to go to a corner of the blue forest and make out (even though they wouldn't admit it).

 

Amber also didn't mention how she was supposed to be entering with Theresa and she didn't think she would be able to attack the girl.

 

And it was comforting to think that she didn't believe the other girl would hurt her either.

 

At least she hoped she wouldn't.

 

Her mice skittered across her shoulders and squeaked at her, as if they were excited at the prospect of hanging out with Theresa as well.

 

It made her want to growl in frustration.

 

To kill the other girl...

 

To kiss her...

 

She blushed and looked down.

 

She ignored the confused look on her twin's face.

 

~

 

Theresa was currently planning on not attacking Amber at all, instead wondering how she could somehow get a romantic setting in the Trial by Tale and perhaps fantasizing about having Hilda out of the Trial and protecting Amber...

 

She grinned and for a moment forgot what her father was saying.

 

It was something about how he was worried for her and was giving advice for her first Trial by Tale.

 

But he'd told her all this in the future when they were packing and preparing for her to do to the School for Good.

 

Beside her, Axel was slightly nervous and looking all around.

 

"Tedros, you should talk to Axel," Theresa whispered to him.

 

He frowned for a moment and then glanced at his twitching son.

 

He looked back at Theresa and she made a shooing motion toward Axel.

 

He nodded and then dropped back to walk by him.

 

After a few minutes, he was back to describing the best way to survive the Trial by Tale.

 

Axel was surprised his father was speaking to him and was honestly enjoying the conversation.

 

Tedros didn't understand half the questions that Axe asked about certain situations and said "just go with your gut," as if it was that simple.

 

Axel had always been an over thinker and wasn't used to trusting his instincts.

 

Tedros seemed to be helping Axel with it right now, however.

 

Agatha fell into place beside Theresa and gave her a small smile.

 

"That was a nice thing you did for your brother there. I really think he looks up to Tedros," Agatha whispered.

 

Theresa grinned, enjoying the compliment from her mother.

 

"Thanks. I try to push those two together."

 

Agatha gave her a long look and raised an eyebrow as if confused about something she'd said, but soon schooled her features, almost as if putting on a mask.

 

~

 

Milly could see the twins, Amber and Hilda, as they worked out their plans.

 

They were hunched over beside each other and whispering about it.

 

She wondered what would happen if she crossed paths with Hilda.

 

The thought made her both nervous and hopeful at the same time.

 

She looked away as Amber picked her head up to look around, but her yes never landed on Milly.

 

Instead, she looked past her and her eyes landed on a different Ever.

 

~

 

"I can't believe you got first place!" Dede said excitedly as she walked by Serenity's side.

 

Nathan has joined them as well, but Serenity had honestly not really noticed his addition.

 

She was rather focused on the other girl beside her.

 

"It's so cool!" Dede continued.

 

Serenity felt her face turning red and she looked away from those cute chocolate eyes and the way they lit up when she looked at Serenity.

 

"It really isn't that impressive," Serenity said quietly.

 

Dede shook her head in disagreement.

 

"What are you talking about?! It's amazing!"

 

Serenity glanced back at her and felt herself lost in those big brown eyes.

 

Nathan glanced between the two and frowned in confusion at the weird way Serenity almost tripped while looking at Dede (but she didn't seem to notice or care when she almost face planted).

 

Nathan felt strangely... out of place beside the two.

 

~

 

"Now remember, I'll wait right here for you, Axe."

 

Theresa and Axel had plans to go together but...

 

Axel felt as if he did everything by her side.

 

She was the heir to the throne of Camelot and her father's favorite (even if he would never say such a thing).

 

And she was better in school than he was (even if she was only a place above him, there were many points between them).

 

And she was better at dealing with people than he was.

 

She even had a girl that liked her.

 

What did Axel have?

 

Jealousy and a crush on a guy that would never like him back.

 

How perfect.

 

He guessed he had a cool Talent, but that didn't seem like much when he saw Theresa with her sword, taking down swordsman after swordsman.

 

He was from the most famous magical family in history (not only was he descended from King Arthur himself, but his parents were the Agatha and Tedros, his aunt the Sophie), but he was still such a disappointment that couldn't do anything right.

 

"Ther, I want to do this on my own."

 

She froze mid-sentence and looked over at him.

 

She frowned in confusion, her pristine blue eyes looking concerned.

 

She'd even gotten their father's good looks while Axel looked like a rat that had been drowned five days ago (or perhaps like Reaper and Reaper's son).

 

"What do you mean?" she asked.

 

Axel cleared his throat.

 

"I want to do this challenge on my own."

 

Theresa paled.

 

On her own?

 

Her brother...

 

He was her rock.

 

He was the reason she could fight, the reason she could be brave.

 

Knowing that she had to protect someone made it easier to be brave.

 

And he was always the one that could tell when there were traps and could remember he smallest detail that she'd forgotten years ago.

 

She... had never imagined doing this without him.

 

"You do?"

 

He nodded.

 

"Uh, okay. We can split up."

 

Axel nodded and Theresa tried not to be nervous.

 

But she was.

 

How would she do this without Axel?

 

But then her eyes landed on Amber as she plotted with her sister.

 

The girl looked up and black eyes met blue.

 

Amber's face turned red and she looked away from the other girl.

 

Theresa found herself making her way over to the twins.

 

Axel watched her go with confusion.

 

"Hey, it seems that my alliance has fallen through."

 

Amber looked back up with wide eyes, surprised that the other girl was so close now.

 

Hilda looked like she was about to go off about something, but then she looked at Amber's face and frowned in confusion.

 

"And I was wondering if I could work with you two."

 

Hilda was about to say a hard, absolute no.

 

But Amber found herself nodding.

 

"Yeah," she breathed.

 

Theresa was grinning and she looked at Hilda.

 

The other girl nodded and glanced at her sister with a frown.

 

"Great!"

 

She took a seat beside Amber and there was an awkward moment where they both glanced at each other and Theresa gave Amber her best smile.

 

Axel was gaping in disbelief.

 

Did Theresa just join the twins?!

 

As in the two that didn't let anyone into their group except Dede (on good days)?!

 

"Amber, are you okay?" Hilda whispered.

 

She jumped and looked back at her twin, nodding.

 

"Of course. We just need to catch her up on the plan."

 

Hilda nodded slowly.

 

"Didn't we originally plan on three people before Dede started hanging out with Nathan and Serenity?" Amber added after a moment.

 

Hilda nodded again and then turned to Theresa and filled her in on the plan.

 

~

 

Hester and Anadil were still discussing how they intend to take out their competition.

 

Hester had growled that she would take care of Hort by herself.

 

Anadil tried to ignore how it made her heart beat twice as fast when she thought about how Hester was angry about Hort taking her place.

 

"Ani, remember I'll be right here," she whispered.

 

Anadil nodded and rolled her bright red eyes.

 

This was at least the fifth time she'd said it.

 

"I know, Hester," she said with a sigh.

 

Hester glanced at her and raised an eyebrow.

 

Perhaps she was being a bit overwhelming.

 

After a few seconds they were back at the from of the blue forest and Anadil caught sight of Theresa beside Amber and raised an eyebrow at her.

 

She blushed and looked away.

 

It seemed like everything was going well.

 

But that was going to change when they entered the Trial.


	28. Chapter 28

The first Trial by Tale was supposed to be the older students.

 

Hester told Anadil one final time where they would meet before they were told to get ready to enter the blue forest.

 

Dot took a deep breath before she entered the blue forest.

 

Beside her, she saw a small Ever with pig tails going halfway down her back.

 

She felt her heart beat quicker and she hurried over to her side.

 

Kiko had a worried look for a moment before she recognized Dot.

 

She relaxed slightly and the Never hurried to her side.

 

"We need to find cover," she whispered.

 

Kiko felt her face turning a light pink color.

 

She followed the slightly round witch further into the forest.

 

There was a quiet noise to the side of the path and Kiko yelped, grabbing onto Dot's arm and pulling her closer to her.

 

Dot grabbed onto Kiko's hand and gently rubbing it and leading them away from whatever could be out to the side.

 

But despite the sounds around them dying out, Kiko kept her hand on the other girl and Dot didn't say anything about it.

 

"Don't worry, you're going to be alright," Dot said.

 

Kiko paused for a moment.

 

"Why are you helping me?"

 

"You're my friend."

 

Kiko grinned and felt her face flushing.

 

"Thank you," she said quietly.

 

It was Dot's turn to become flustered as she watched Kiko.

 

She didn't notice the creeping form behind them.

 

The one that had been sent from the Schools.

 

~

 

Ravan heard the wolves howl and he hurried into the blue forest.

 

There were scary sound around them and tried not to think about it.

 

He knew that he was supposed to wait for Hort, but he wasn't supposed to be here for over an hour.

 

~

 

Reena ignored Ravan and hurried out of the clearing and into the predetermined location they were supposed meet.

 

She wondered how long it would be until she would find Beatrix.

 

~

 

Kiko heard another rustling of leaves behind them and gasped, pulling herself backwards and holding onto Dot's arm like he classic princess and prince of a fairytale.

 

Dot raised her glowing blue finger instead of a sword, but the scene was just as effective.

 

Kiko knew she had to do something and prepared how to protect her new ally.

 

After a moment, a small bunny hopped out of the woods and came up to them.

 

Both of them relaxed instantly and Kiko bent down, making a quiet cooing sound and gesturing for the bunny to come closer.

 

The bunny did, its little green eyes sparkling with life as it sniffed the air around it.

 

Kiko giggled as she lifted the bunny and it tickled her neck.

 

And a moment later there was another bunny hoping onto the trail beside them.

 

Dot was a bit hesitant, but she picked up the bunny this time and laughed as it nestled into her dark black coat with a quiet sniff.

 

They allowed the bunnies to get surprisingly close and were about to set them down when-

 

Kiko let out a shriek, seeing her pristine white handkerchief in the bunnies's mouth.

 

She went to grab it, but the bunny smirked a bit (a distinctly Never expression) and dropped the handkerchief onto the ground.

 

Dot had looked over at Kiko to see why she was yelling and before she could do anything, her own bright red handkerchief was flying to the ground.

 

Both of them reappeared in the clearing right beside the blue forest side by side, gaping.

 

There were loud, crude curses from the Never side and sighs from the Ever end.

 

The bunnies had stayed behind in the blue forest and there were teachers on them in moments, staring them up and down.

 

Students were there too, demanding to know what had happened.

 

Kiko and Dot both blushed as they were accosted and had to reluctantly tell how they were tricked by bunnies.

 

Sophie grinned and loudly boasted that had been her own trap she'd set for any Ever that would swoon at the sight of adorable animals, though she wasn't expecting the trap to get any of her own... she quietly muttered something about how she should have remembered Dot.

 

But that was not the important part.

 

The important part was that Dot and Kiko had worked together.

 

Nevers and Evers gaped at the news, looking at either side of the clearing with disbelief.

 

An Ever and a Never working together?!

 

That didn't make any sense.

 

The last time that had happened had been Sophie and Tedros and everyone knew how that had ended.

 

And yet neither of the girls had betrayed the other and Kiko even told the story about how Dot had pushed her behind her to keep her out of harm's way.

 

Nevers and Evers seemed to drift closer as they waited and watched for the next student to be disqualified.

 

Dot and Kiko were the first in and the first our, yet they both stayed to watch, quietly standing side by side.

 

That is until Kiko found the blankets she had hidden for this sort of situation (losing the Trial early, not being stranded with Dot in the cold...) and offered to share.

 

They sat down side by side and both ended up blushing soon after when their legs brushed up against each other.

 

There were sparks and another Ever had been eliminated.

 

A few moments later, a Never was as well.

 

Dot honestly couldn't remember the name of either, but she didn't care at the moment.

 

~

 

Reena saw four different sets of sparks explode and shuddered.

 

She though that Beatrix's turn was coming soon.

 

At least she hoped so.

 

She could imagine Beatrix coming into the blue forest with her glowing finger raised, a bow and arrow in hand.

 

She was so pretty, especially when she was fighting.

 

Reena blushed and shook her head, reminding herself that now was not the time to think about her growing crush on her best friend or about how they were supposed to go to the Snow Ball together.

 

~

 

Beatrix paced back and forth, trying not to focus on how worried she was about her best friend/crush.

 

She sighed deeply as she heard an ominous howl from the blue forest.

 

So far she hadn't seen or heard any sign of Reena and she supposed that was a good thing, even if it was nerve wracking.

 

She sort of hoped that Reena would throw down her handkerchief and allow herself to be disqualified so that she was safe.

 

And yet she knew that Reena would be upset to give up so soon.

 

She just wanted her to be okay.

 

If a single beautiful hair on the Arabian princess's head was harmed she would likely go insane.

 

She glanced at the other side of the competitor's portion of the clearing and caught sight of the numerous villains.

 

She was glad that the more dastardly ones weren't in yet (including Hester and... well, just pretty much her if she was being honest).

 

Her Reena just had to wait a little while longer.

 

Just a while.

 

~

 

Hester pulled Anadil to the side and went to speak to her, but Anadil shook her head.

 

"I know. I'll wait for you right by the tree. I can take care of myself, Hester."

 

Anadil looked a bit angry and upset that Hester didn't seem to agree with that statement.

 

Hester opened her mouth and closed. She opened it and closed it.

 

After a moment she felt her face heating up as she looked away.

 

"I know. I'm just...," Hester paused and glanced at Anadil's bright red eyes that were staring at her with an intense light as if her next words were the most important thing in the world, "worried. I'm just worried."

 

Anadil blushed and tried not to focus on the flinty black eyes that looked into hers.

 

No, they didn't simply look.

 

Nothing Hester did could be that simple.

 

Her eyes bore into Anadil's soul and seemed to make a home for themselves there.

 

Anadil tried not to think about how beautiful those eyes were.

 

How they made her heart simultaneously want to beat three times as fast and stop beating.

 

It was an oxymoron she didn't like...

 

Even if the feeling made her whole body feel on fire.

 

"I'll be careful," Anadil whispered.

 

Hester bit her lip and for a moment looked nervous.

 

Anadil tried not to think about how badly she wanted to kiss those lips.

 

Get ahold of yourself, she thought, berating herself.

 

Hester thought that she saw Anadil's eyes flicker to her lips for a moment and it made her heart do somersaults in her chest.

 

~

 

Ravan could hear howls a little ways away and tried not to think about what that could be.

 

At first it sounded like wolves howling that more students were being let into the blue forest, but when he looked at the leaderboard, he found that there was still the same amount in the blue forest.

 

That made his heart beat almost as fast as it did around he weasel boy.

 

~

 

Agatha could heat Tedros going over the plan for the umpteenth time and got bored.

 

She looked across the clearing to the Nevers.

 

She found Anadil and Hester whispering to each other.

 

Anadil's bright red eyes were locked on Hester as she ran a hand through her red streaked hair.

 

She raised an eyebrow as Anadil's eyes flickered to said hair and she seemed to turn a bit red.

 

Hmm...

 

Her eyes turned back to Tedros and she could see him looking at her with a bit of worry

 

She glanced at Hester and saw that her hand was now on Anadil's arm and she gave it a soft squeeze.

 

Tedros had done that to her just a few moments ago as a calming technique.

 

Anadil's eyes were locked on Hester's hand and she seemed to swallow.

 

That was...

 

Odd to say the least.

 

~

 

Reena could smell sleeping willows a few dozen feet away and her eyes widened, steering clear of them and going to the small river that flowed just a few feet away from her.

 

She wasn't supposed to meet with Beatrix for a little while and she'd been almost wandering around until then, looking for advisories and traps that she could fight or disarm.

 

She saw sparks in the sky and on the leaderboard Chaddick's name erupted in a matching white color before going dark.

 

She heard the howls in the background intensify and she shivered.

 

~

 

Nevers and Evers were inching closer and closer to each other at the ends of the clearing.

 

Dot and Kiko were the first to actually share anything, but after just a few minutes there were Ever and Never pairs joining each other (albeit a bit cautiously) with blankets, snacks, and slightly (slightly) open minds.

 

~

 

Beatrix tried not to stare at the leaderboard.

 

But every few seconds her eyes snapped back to it, wondering if Rena's name had gone dark in the few moments she had glanced away.

 

She knew that there would be loud sparks as well as brilliant lights if she had, but that didn't seem to soothe her fears in the slightest.

 

~

 

Beatrix's turn was getting close and it just so happened to coincide with Anadil's.

 

Both girls glanced at each other.

 

Beatrix hardly got to look at the pale albino before Hester stepped forward and actually growled like a wild animal.

 

Her hand landed on Anadil's shoulder and she squeezed it for a moment, her gaze not even flickering from Beatrix's.

 

Anadil seemed to completely forget Beatrix for the time being and her eyes landed on Hester's hand that was still holding her tightly.

 

Most people would have thought the grip was far too tight, but it only made Anadil feel secure and protected.

 

That made her blush deeply.

 

The wolves came to lead her and Beatrix into the blue forest, but Anadil drew back for a moment and her eyes met Hester's black ones.

 

"I'll wait," she whispered.

 

Before Hester could respond, she grabbed onto Hester's coat collar and pulled her down.

 

Anadil went into her tiptoes and connected their lips.

 

It was short and full of passion, but it was done before Hester had anything to do but gasp at the touch.

 

Anadil spun on her heel and allowed the wolves to shove her into the blue forest.

 

Hester watched with disbelief.

 

Her hand came to rest on her lips, gently tracing where Anadil's had been just a few moments before.

 

She could still feel the tingling sensation.


	29. Chapter 29

Anadil's eyes widened in disbelief as she entered the blue forest.

 

She just kissed Hester.

 

She kissed her.

 

Beatrix was in a similar state of shock as she gaped at Anadil.

 

She took that chance to scamper off.

 

She normally would have taken the opportunity to take the other girl's handkerchief and throw it to the ground...

 

But Anadil was in too much shock to do such a thing.

 

She just kissed Hester.

 

As in lip on lip contact was achieved.

 

As in she had kissed her.

 

Anadil went to the agreed upon meeting spot and tried not to wonder if Hester would actually show after what had just happened.

 

The thought haunted her, however, and she felt herself gulp at the idea.

 

What if she had ruined everything?!

 

But a small voice in the back of her head whispered the opposite.

 

What if she had just gained everything?!

 

~

 

Reena could hear the wolves this time and she knew what that meant.

 

Reena was officially in the blue forest.

 

She felt her heart beat quickening and she wondered if the girl would make it here okay.

 

She had just made it to the agreed upon meeting spot and she took a seat, her finger glowing bright gray as she waited for the other girl to make her way to the small bridge.

 

~

 

Hester was still staring at where Anadil had been.

 

Anadil... her Ani had just kissed her.

 

She was still trying to process what this meant.

 

She'd kissed her.

 

She didn't notice that everyone else in the tribute clearing was watching her with wide eyes.

 

She didn't notice that Agatha was grinning like a wild person.

 

And she could still feel where Anadil's lips had touched her own.

 

It was like they were on fire.

 

Anadil's lips had been cold, but that didn't matter.

 

She suddenly realized that everyone was gaping at her and she growled loudly, shooting them all glares that make several shrink back (including Hort).

 

There was nothing to look at.

 

But her mind was still on Anadil's touch on her lips as she went to sit down and wait for her turn to enter the blue forest.

 

~

 

Reena could hear footsteps and she grinned, jumping to her feet.

 

She ran toward the sound and was met by a large form.

 

She frowned in confusion.

 

Beatrix wasn't that tall...

 

And then suddenly the form came into the dim light that shone under the bridge.

 

It was a Never (though she was unsure of his name if she was being perfectly honestly... Vex, perhaps?) that was looking at her with a malicious glint in his eyes.

 

She realized that it was too late as she drew her bow.

 

The Never's finger was emanating with a darkness that engulfed all light within it and she didn't know what she was going to do.

 

Her own finger was glowing now, but he was obviously about to cast a spell.

 

This had all happened in mere seconds.

 

Reena saw the grass in the ground erupting out to entangle her, restricting her completely.

 

It was too late.

 

She thrashed and shook in the grasp as the weeds went for her handkerchief.

 

Reena could hear the crunch of leaves and sticks under thick boots and a familiar sound of an arrow being nocked.

 

She looked up and caught sight of the most beautiful thing she thought she had ever seen.

 

Beatrix stood there with her arrow drawn all the way back to her cheek. The wind blew her short blond hair back in a perfect way that Reena had thought impossible before just now (but Beatrix was always impossibly gorgeous). Her ocean blue eyes glinted and shot to Reena and then back at Vex.

 

She released her arrow and it struck him in the back.

 

He was lucky they were blunted to stun instead of injury by the teachers and he writhed on the ground.

 

Reena expected for the weeds to release her, but if anything they tightened, making it hard to breathe as they sought out the handkerchief that was in her inner coat pocket.

 

Beatrix threw Vex's handkerchief down as he went still (stunned, of course), but that didn't stop the weeds.

 

Beatrix wasn't fazed and she leapt into action, her finger glowing brightly and cutting away at the weeds.

 

Reena felt them loosen around her and she was falling down toward the ground.

 

She let out a gasp and closed her eyes, ready for impact with the hard, rough ground.

 

But she felt strong arms instead.

 

Her eyes snapped open and she met ocean blue ones.

 

Beatrix gently set her on her feet, ironic considering she had already swept her off of them (both literally and figurative at this point).

 

"Are you okay?" Beatrix asked with a worried look.

 

Reena swallowed and forced herself to nod.

 

"I'm fine."

 

Beatrix looked her up and down for injuries before she nodded.

 

Her hand suddenly clasped Reena's own and she blushed as Beatrix led her through the blue forest.

 

Beatrix tried to ignore the way her stomach erupted into butterflies at the slightest contact with the other girl's skin.

 

~

 

Hort took a deep breath and swallowed nervously.

 

He was going into the blue forest in just a few moments.

 

Instead of his thoughts going to impressing Sophie like they always did, he found that he was focusing on Ravan.

 

Was he okay?

 

What if he was hurt somewhere?!

 

What if he couldn't make it to their meeting spot and instead he was laying in a ditch, bloody and unconscious?!

 

Hort forced his worries down mercilessly and tried not to wonder why he thought so much about the other boy.

 

~

 

Tedros put a calming hand on Agatha's arm and she looked into his pristine blue eyes.

 

She'd never realized how similar his eyes were to Theresa's... but that wasn't the point right now.

 

"I'll be fine," Agatha promised.

 

Tedros gave her his best, most charming grin.

 

It made her insides melt.

 

"I'll see you in fifteen minutes."

 

He drew her in for a mind blowing, jaw dropping, knee shaking kiss.

 

It wasn't any different from their normal ones.

 

But they all left her feeling that way.

 

Tedros saw the gates open and he and Hort were shoved in.

 

He turned, sword at the ready, to face Hort.

 

But the other boy was already several feet ahead of him and seemed to have forgotten his existence entirely.

 

But he was always angry at Tedros for having won Sophie's heart their first year.

 

So why wasn't he trying to attack him like always?

 

Tedros has no answer for that question.

 

~

 

Hort raced through the forest.

 

He could hear his heart pounding in his ears, but he didn't care.

 

He just pushed himself to go faster.

 

When she finally reached the agreed upon meeting spot, he could hear slow movements behind a tree.

 

His head shot up and he caught sight of his dark-haired rebellious Ravan.

 

His face was heating up at the thought of Ravan being "his" and he tried to ignore that.

 

Ravan came up beside him and Hort suddenly heard footsteps behind them.

 

He spun and pointed his glowing finger at his chest, transforming right into a wolfman and preparing for the attack.

 

He didn't even consider it before he pushed himself in front of Ravan protectively.

 

He wouldn't let anyone touch his Ravan.

 

Yes, his.

 

He didn't know why he was thinking that way or why it made his heat beat three times as fast, but he didn't have time to worry about it right now so he just went with it.

 

~

 

Agatha watched Tedros get sucked into the blue forest and tried not to let herself feel worried.

 

He would be fine.

 

She'd seen him soon enough.

 

Her eyes were drawn away from the blue forest gates soon enough, however, and she found herself looking at Hester.

 

She was sitting on a small rock, her knee bouncing up and down as she looked deep in thought about something.

 

You didn't have to be a genius to know what.

 

She was thinking about Anadil.

 

Agatha walked over and took a seat beside Hester, surprising the Never and making her glance over in surprise.

 

"What?" she asked, sounding more harsh than she usually did when speaking to Agatha.

 

"You know... it's okay for you to like her."

 

Hester tensed.

 

"There's nothing wrong with Nevers falling in love and there's nothing wrong with you falling in love with Anadil, much less ant girl."

 

Hester was still staring at her like a deer caught in headlights.

 

"And I think it's pretty clear how she feels about you from that class. You should tell her."

 

Hester nodded slowly, her black eyes looking out into space and seeming very contemplative.

 

"And I'm sure she's fine. She's resourceful and smart."

 

Agatha tried not to think about the fact that Anadil might very well drop her handkerchief before Hester got there just so she wouldn't have to deal with the repercussions of their kiss.

 

"She sure is," Hester said with a bit of wistfulness in her voice.

 

A small smile played on her lips and Agatha knew she had been completely right.

 

"Tell her," she whispered.

 

Silence fell between them, but it wasn't an uncomfortable silence.

 

More like the silence between two close friends.

 

When the wolves came toward them, neither waited even a second to head toward the entrance to the blue forest.

 

Agatha could see that Hester's hand shook a bit, though she knew it was not due to the Trial by Tale.

 

She smiled slightly and stepped into the blue forest.

 

~

 

Anadil heard the wolves howl and knew that Hester had entered the blue forest.

 

For a moment, she contemplated pulling her handkerchief from her boot and throwing it down onto the grass right then.

 

But she didn't.

 

She may have mess up everything...

 

Or she could have made everything perfect.

 

She knew this was an optimistic Ever outlook that she was using, but she needed it right now to keep herself from losing her cool.

 

~

 

Tedros' head snapped up at the wolves howling and his head shot to the forest gates just a little ways away.

 

He could see the two entering from here, but they were little more than little specks, one in dark black and one in blue that matched his own eyes quite well.

 

He held his breath, but Hester and Agatha just glanced at each other and nodded in a silent understanding before they sprinted off in different directions.

 

He swung down from his perch on a small mountain and hurried toward his beloved.

 

~

 

Hort saw not one but two forms walking out of the forestry.

 

Both of them had dark black eyes and were completely unfamiliar to him.

 

For a moment his mind flashed to their second year with all of the somewhat (completely) barbaric princes.

 

But he calmed himself after a moment.

 

But his eyes wandered to the unnaturally dark eyes of the advancing foes.

 

There was something inherently wrong with those eyes.

 

He'd seen black eyes before (Hester's being among them) but none had ever been this dark.

 

In fact, he didn't seen any pupils in them at all.

 

He found that he was getting sucked into those eyes and his arm was lowering from its defensive position the longer he looked at said eyes.

 

There was just something about them he didn't understand...

 

"Mistwalkers," Ravan whispered, barely audible, from his spot beside Hort.

 

Hort didn't really understand the words for a long moment, his brain seeming to work as if in sludge.

 

But he finally figured out why that sounded so familiar.

 

Mistwalkers were dark, soulless creatures that wandered in the dark searching for people that they could feast off of, sucking their souls.

 

They did this by drawing you in with their dark eyes that had nothing inside of them.

 

Hort realized he was in danger and he found that he couldn't really make himself care as he looked into those eyes that seemed to embody death.

 

But then he saw Ravan nearing one of the things and his eyes flashed with new purpose.

 

~

 

Hester sprinted through the blue forest, her thoughts focused solely on her Anadil.


	30. Chapter 30

A/N: There is a lot of inconsistency on when things might be happening in comparison, but I'll iron that out by saying the order of when people were disqualified at the end of the Trial by Tale! I did this to kind of get you fully immersed in how it would feel to have no idea what's going on with everyone else and everything around you!

 

Hester raced through the forest, her mind focused on one person and one person only.

 

And she tried not to think about how she could still feel where Anadil's lips had grazed her own.

 

It had been more than fifteen minutes and she still couldn't get the fiery tingling to go away.

 

She found that she didn't particularly want to.

 

She skidded into the small clearing with one large tree standing in the middle.

 

The one they'd agreed to meet at.

 

~

 

Anadil was starting to think that Hester wasn't going to show.

 

She knew the wolves had growled less than a minute ago, but that didn't do anything to calm her nerves.

 

Suddenly, she heard the crunching of boots and her head shot up.

 

She wasn't taking any chances, so she allowed her finger to glow bright green as she waited for whoever it was to show their face.

 

She couldn't believe that it could be Hester.

 

But then a very familiar form burst into the clearing.

 

The form's bright red hair glinted in the light and their dark black eyes glowed.

 

It was her, no matter how hard it was for Anadil to believe it.

 

"Ani!" she called, looking around.

 

Anadil realized she was hidden in the depths of the tree's dark branches and she lowered herself down.

 

Hester caught sight of her immediately and rushed forward.

 

She looked Anadil up and down for any sign of injury and the albino tried not to focus on how fast her heart was beating.

 

She'd come, even though Anadil had almost messed everything up.

 

"Ani, I-"

 

Hester was cut off as Anadil covered her mouth with her hand.

 

She'd heard movement behind them and her finger glowed.

 

Hester's eyes shot to the forest and she was distracted from what she'd been dying to tell Anadil.

 

~

 

Hort's arms felt sluggish as he forced them to raise and punch at the mistwalkers.

 

The ghostly forms seemed shocked that Hort could do anything but walk toward his fate.

 

The mistwalkers shrieked as Hort's furry fist connected with the first one and then his foot came into contact with the second.

 

Ravan was shocked and his head was a bit fuzzy, but he realized that Hort had just saved him from elimination (because of course the teachers wouldn't let real mistwalkers into the blue forest).

 

Hort sagged as he finished fighting the dark forms that now lay on the ground.

 

Ravan grabbed onto the exhausted Never beside him.

 

He groaned and Ravan had to carry off a half asleep wolfman that was somehow maintaininghis form, which made Ravan grumble about how heavy the other Neverboy was.

 

Hort laughed, but it was a forced sort of sound.

 

He laid down beside a log and took deep breaths.

 

He'd heard that fighting a mistwalker's spell could take a lot out of you, but he'd never experienced it first hand before.

 

He tried to sit up and Ravan helped him gently.

 

"Be careful," Ravan said gently.

 

Hort nodded and took another deep breath.

 

But how could he be careful when he thought Ravan was in danger.

 

~

 

Tedros gripped Agatha's hand tighter as he pulled her through the blue forest.

 

Suddenly, there was a loud scream.

 

Both jumped and their eyes widened as they realized just how familiar that shriek was.

 

They both sprinted off toward the sound, their boots slamming against the ground as fast as their hearts beat.

 

~

 

Hester could hear footsteps coming toward them, but she wasn't sure if they were human or animal.

 

But she did know there were tons.

 

They came from each direction and surrounded the clearing entirely.

 

She could hear growls and howls, but they couldn't be the wolves she was accustomed to if they were so close.

 

Said wolves weren't allowed into the blue forest during the Trial by Tale.

 

Hester's demon had detached from her skin and Anadil's rats scurried across the ground, growing until they were big enough to ride.

 

Neither had time to think about the somewhat awkward kiss that had happened just a little while ago.

 

They had other things to focus on at the moment.

 

"Any idea what these could be?" Hester asked calmly, glancing at her friend.

 

Anadil shook her head and Hester turned in a slow circle to see if any of the prowling creatures had come into the clearing.

 

They hadn't.

 

She was about to turn in a circle again, but Ashe could feel Anadil's back against her own.

 

She felt herself relaxing at the contact.

 

She could trust Anadil to have her back (literally and figuratively, it seemed).

 

The growls grew closer and Hester's demon grumbled unintelligibly.

 

Anadil's rats squeaked and neared the edge of the clearing, trying to get a better view at whatever could be sneaking up on them.

 

Hester's demon was doing much the same.

 

Whatever it was, it couldn't be good.

 

~

 

Tedros and Agatha sprinted through the forest toward the familiar voices that called their names.

 

"AGATHA!"

 

"TEDROS!"

 

It continued on like that as they raced through, cracking sticks under their feet and crushing leaves without a care.

 

Agatha skidded to a stop as they reached a dark clearing.

 

It wasn't like the other clearings they'd been in.

 

This one had a clearing along the ground around them, but above them there were tall, towering trees that were the deepest shade of navy and their leaves blocked out the moonlight that was slowly transforming into the barest hint of the sun.

 

Time was running out and Agatha normally would have been watching the leaderboard, but she was busy searching for the voices that called for her.

 

"AGGIE!"

 

Her head shot up and her eyes widened, searching for Sophie.

 

But Sophie wasn't the only voice calling out for help.

 

"TEDROS!"

 

Tedros spun and raised his sword.

 

He raced further into the clearing with Agatha right by his side.

 

~

 

Beatrix looked Reena up and down, looking at the cuts that ran along her arms and legs from the weeds.

 

Reena hissed as Beatrix gently ran a hand over one of the cuts.

 

"I'm sorry," she whispered quietly.

 

Reena swallowed and looked back at Beatrix's beautiful ocean blue eyes.

 

"Thank you for saving me."

 

"I'll always save you," Beatrix promised and gave her friend a very intense look.

 

Reena nodded and followed Beatrix as she started out of the clearing.

 

~

 

Hester could see large, hulking creatures coming from the forest.

 

Suddenly, one burst in from the forestry and growled loudly.

 

It was somehow a mix between a bear and a wolf with horns at the tip of its head.

 

"You got any over there, Ani?"

 

The albino grinned.

 

"Two."

 

"Bet I can take out more than you," Hester taunted.

 

"In your dreams."

 

Hester smirked and her demon raced toward the first monstrous creature.

 

"You always are."

 

Anadil blushed deeply.

 

"W-What?"

 

"You're already behind, Ani," Hester said as her finger glowed red and her demon raced toward the next monster.

 

Anadil forced her eyes back to the other creature and tried not to think about how Hester had just said she was in her dreams.

 

What did that mean?!

 

And what had Hester wanted to tell her earlier?!

 

Was she upset that Anadil had kissed her?!

 

Then why was she giving Anadil those mischievous little smirks that made the albino unable to see straight (she had to start thinking gay).

 

"That's three, Ani."

 

"Too bad I'm up to two," Anadil responded as her second rat tackled another creature.

 

"That's it? I'm already up to five."

 

Anadil ground her teeth and her finger glowed brighter.

 

~

 

"TEDROS!"

 

He ran completely into the clearing.

 

"THERESA?!"

 

Agatha was right by his side.

 

"AGATHA! TEDROS!"

 

"AXEL?!"

 

Tedros suddenly saw the two.

 

They were tied to the navy blue trees and struggling in the grip of the tree branches that surround them.

 

Sophie was up there too, but Tedros barely noticed as he drew his sword and prepared to slash against the tree branches.

 

"Something's wrong...," Agatha muttered, but she didn't stop sprinting toward the trees that held their friends.

 

Tedros slashed his training sword against some of the branches.

 

Agatha glanced around behind her shoulders and wondered what could have trapped their friends.

 

And yet... something seemed off to her.

 

A small twig started to wrap around Tedros' wrist and they didn't notice.

 

~

 

Anadil flicked her finger and her glowing green finger caused one of the creatures to go flying back and slam against a tree.

 

"That's still just ten," Hester snarked from a few feet away.

 

Hester was at thirteen, but both of them had to acknowledge the fact that they were both exhausted.

 

There were cuts up and down both of their arms and legs.

 

Anadil had a gash on her calf and she let out a growl, her leg giving way.

 

Hester was there in a moment and was holding her up gently.

 

"I've got you."

 

Anadil gulped and she looked away from the other girl.

 

Hester had a nasty cut on the side of her face.

 

Anadil grimaced as she looked at the damage and forced her eyes away from the dried blood that mixed in with Hester's red highlights in her hair.

 

The creatures seemed to have waned and there were about three more in the clearing.

 

Anadil's rats scurried over and went to tear them apart.

 

Hester's demon was there a moment later.

 

Hester turned and looked down at Anadil, their faces inches apart.

 

"I won."

 

She leaned down further and Anadil could feel her breath against her face.

 

Anadil felt that she was the winner considering the close proximity they had at the moment.

 

"Ani, I wanted to tell you-"

 

There was a loud, obnoxious noise that erupted and bright sparks flew up into the air.

 

Hester's eyes flashed to the leaderboard and the slight tension that had settled around the two witches fled as they remembered where they were.

 

That they were still in the Trial by Tale and both of them were injured.

 

~

 

Beatrix glanced at the leaderboard and saw that the only remaining competitors were part of alliances.

 

That meant her and Reena, Agatha and Tedros, Ravan and Hort, and Hester and Anadil.

 

That was a surprisingly amount considering there were only about two hours left before they were supposed to end the Trial.

 

Reena heard footsteps behind her and she spun, grimacing in pain at the sharp stabs of protest her leg erupted with.

 

Behind them, two forms came into the clearing.

 

But these weren't dark shadowy forms.

 

They were very familiar ones.

 

Hort and Ravan.

 

~

 

Tedros continued to cut at the branches that held his friends (plus Sophie).

 

Agatha's finger glowed gold and she was burning away the branches that grasped her sister.

 

She was looking around the clearing and waiting for something to come from the shadowy depths.

 

This had to be some sort of trap, right?

 

But she didn't see anyone and Sophie was still screaming for help.

 

Her attention was divided between the three captives and anyone that could be sneaking into the clearing.

 

She didn't notice as Tedros stopped swinging his sword, his mouth now covered by branches and his arms and legs flayed out in each direction, useless. He looked a bit like a starfish.

 

Agatha heard muffled shouts and she spun, her eyes widening as she caught sight of Tedros being held aloft by the tree branches that were now pulling him to where Axel, Theresa, and Sophie were-

 

But now that she looked again, the three captured forms glistened and shimmered before disappearing right in front of her eyes.

 

Agatha's finger glowed gold, but it was too late.

 

The branches entrapped her, reminding her of her first year.

 

But when she'd been trapped outside of the front gates, Tedros had saved her and carried her to safety.

 

Now it was like the end of her second year where both of them were held by the School Master as he planned their demise, curtesy of Tedros' sword.

 

The branches held her in a vice-like grip and, though she struggled, it was useless.

 

She could feel them cutting into her arms and she gasped in pain, allowing a branch to go between her teeth and effectively form a gag.

 

It tightened and lifted her back to the tree's side.

 

A particularly slim branch slowly seeped around her in exploration, searching for her handkerchief.

 

She was helpless, splayed out as she was, and watched in horror as it grabbed hers from her pocket and stole Tedros' boot.

 

It dropped both their handkerchiefs simultaneously.


	31. Chapter 31

Agatha and Tedros reappeared in the clearing, cuts and deep gashes running up and down their body.

 

Tedros' shirt was in tatters and Agatha wanted to attack all the Ever (and Never) girls that were watching him with distracted expressions.

 

It was weird.

 

The Evers and Nevers were closer than usual as they watched the Trial.

 

Kiko was actually asleep with a somewhat worried look on her face despite her slumber.

 

Her head was on Dot's shoulder and the Never made a soothing sound as Kiko grumbled in her sleep, moving a bit fitfully.

 

The Evers were pretty upset that the two they had believed to be their best chance at winning had been disqualified.

 

Agatha wondered whether Beatrix and Reena were still in the Trial and her gaze wandered over to the leaderboard-

 

But before she could look at it she caught sight of Sophie standing a few feet away.

 

Her eyes widened and she sprinted over.

 

She almost fell due to her cuts and other bruises she had earned from the trees and several other traps they had come across and overcome.

 

She took Sophie's face between her hands and looked her over with worried eyes.

 

She angled the other girl so she could see if there were cuts on her arms.

 

When she saw there weren't, she let out a breath of relief and pulled her best friend in for a bone crushing hug.

 

Sophie was surprised to say the least, but she hugged Agatha back fiercely.

 

She was clearly worried for the other girl, but something else was on her mind and Agatha wondered what could be upsetting her.

 

Could it be that she was worried for Hort?

 

Had she finally grown feelings for the weasel of a boy?

 

Agatha found those chances to be slim and wondered if she could be instead focusing on her students in the Trial at the moment.

 

But she didn't think that was it.

 

Then her mind wandered to how she had come to sit with her during lunch and would always be glancing at a certain dark-skinned Ever...

 

She pulled back and gaped at Sophie.

 

Her friend frowned in confusion and opened her mouth to speak, but Agatha was first.

 

"You like Nicola," she breathed.

 

She made sure to say it quietly despite her shock.

 

She didn't want her friend to be embarrassed because she shouted it out loud.

 

Sophie turned red and looked down shyly.

 

"How hard were the challenges?"

 

"They were pretty bad. We saw you in there," Tedros said, having just limped over here.

 

He put a hand on Agatha's shoulder.

 

It was equal parts to steady himself and to support her.

 

There were loud footsteps behind them and they turned to see Professor Dovey running up with nymphs flanking her.

 

She grabbed the two of them and led them to the medical tent, making sounds whenever she saw the deep cuts that lined them up and down (and the black eye that Tedros was forming).

 

Agatha glanced over her shoulder at Sophie and caught sight of the leaderboard.

 

Her jaw dropped in disbelief.

 

~

 

Ravan could see Reena and Beatrix a few feet away from them and he gulped, looking at the weasel boy that he was supporting.

 

He wasn't sure if he could take both of them on.

 

But Beatrix was already drawing an arrow.

 

He panicked and his finger glowed brightly.

 

The arrow turned into a flower just as it hurtled toward them, floating gently to the ground and laying down harmlessly.

 

Beatrix growled and put herself between Ravan and Reena.

 

Her finger glowed and she drew another arrow.

 

Reena was leaning on her back slightly and looked almost as exhausted as Hort himself did.

 

Ravan didn't have time to be compassionate, however, and he reminded himself that he was a Never.

 

He didn't care about how tired these Evers were or what they had been through.

 

All that mattered was that he kept Hort out of harm's way and made sure that the other two didn't touch him... even if that meant he himself was hurt.

 

Yes, that didn't seem very Never-ish of him but...

 

Well it wasn't his fault that the little weasel of a boy in his arms was adorable and completely sweet and...

 

He took a deep breath and forced himself to focus on the matter at hand.

 

His finger glowed as well and Beatrix was a second away from releasing her second arrow.

 

Suddenly, there was a loud thundering sound from the rest of the forest and Ravan reacted quickly, putting himself between Hort and whatever could be in the forest.

 

Beatrix released her arrow and Hort suddenly leapt through the air.

 

The arrow stuck his weak and feeble form.

 

He flopped onto the ground and howled in pain.

 

Ravan saw red, his anger making his finger glow brighter than it ever had before.

 

He didn't need music.

 

He stomped his foot and a second head grew beside his first.

 

Another stomp toward the two princesses and a third head.

 

He stormed toward the two girls and by the time he had gotten there he had eight heads all in a row.

 

He took a deep breath and, just as Beatrix released an arrow, he breathed out fire.

 

The fire engulfed the arrow and burned it to a crisp.

 

Reena gasped in horror, her own finger glowing, if a bit feebly, as she prepared a spell.

 

Ravan didn't care and he growled like a wild animal.

 

Reena was clearly very afraid, but she pushed a hand against Beatrix's back to make herself stand tall.

 

Her gray eyes blazed defiantly and her finger glowed along side it.

 

Beatrix didn't even take a moment to look afraid, her ocean blue eyes instead emanating with fury.

 

Ravan breathed fire, hissing at them like a snake.

 

Beatrix threw up an arm and her coat was singed beyond prepare, leaving a deep burn in her arm and making her growl in pain.

 

But she was far too angry to care about said pain.

 

She drew another arrow and Ravan breathed fire right as she was about to release.

 

Beatrix took a moment to consider, just as Ravan breathed in and prepared to shoot fire, and she glanced at Reena.

 

She felt angry with herself for it, but she subtly kicked Reena in the ankle, causing her to gasp in pain and go down on her already injured leg.

 

Ravan didn't seem to notice, his rage focused solely on the one that had injured Hort, and she turned that to her advantage.

 

She rolled to the side just as the fire licked at her fingers.

 

When she came up she was crouched just a few feet away with the bow still nocked with an arrow.

 

Reena had been down far enough that the fire had gone just over her head, almost burning her hair.

 

Beatrix let the arrow fly and it stuck Ravan in the side.

 

He gasped and recoiled in shock.

 

He tried to breathe fire, but he couldn't get enough air into his lungs after such a hit to the gut.

 

Beatrix sprang to her feet despite the burns on her arms and the new scrapes she had acquired from the roll.

 

She grabbed onto Reena's hand and hauled her to her feet, supporting her easily and all but carrying the other girl out of harm's way.

 

She would have gone back and finished Ravan off (and by that she of course meant dropping his handkerchief. She wasn't a monster), but she was worried for Reena and the other girl's breathing was ragged.

 

~

 

Hort was still groaning on the ground.

 

He could see Ravan gasping for breath and holding his side as the head disappeared until there was only a singular one atop his shoulders.

 

He crawled to his feet and limped over to his friend.

 

Hort tried to help Ravan to his feet, but the other boy shook him off and pushed his hands off his knees.

 

His breathing still looked pained, but he held himself upright and that was at least an improvement from before.

 

"We need to track them down," Hort said, angry that the princesses had dared to hurt his Ravan.

 

Ravan shook his head and looked at Hort.

 

When he spoke, it came out as a wheeze and it was clearly difficult for him to get enough air to talk.

 

"You're hurt."

 

Hort shook his head dismissively, but the action made the world spin around him and his head felt like it was going to split open from the small action.

 

"You need...," he took a deep breath, "to drop your handkerchief. You are... really hurt."

 

Hort shook his head dismissively.

 

"I'm fine."

 

But speaking made him erupt into a fit of coughs and he doubled over.

 

Ravan pulled him up and then tilted his chin so they could lock eyes.

 

"Drop it."

 

"I can't leave you alone. You need me. I can't let you get hurt."

 

Ravan's dark brown eyes softened just slightly.

 

Hort raised his hand and put it on Ravan's cheek.

 

"I need you."

 

But Hort could hardly breathe.

 

Ravan's eyes turned completely soft now and the Never felt like putty in the other boy's hands.

 

He leaned forward and connected their lips with a passion.

 

They had to pull away after just a couple seconds to take deep, shaky breaths, but Ravan leaned back in for a longer kiss just after that.

 

Hort was shocked to say the least, but when Ravan came back, he sunk into the embrace.

 

He felt Ravan's hand wrapping around his waist and he didn't even realize as it grabbed onto something.

 

Ravan released the handkerchief he'd stolen from Hort's back pocket and dropped it.

 

"I'm sorry," he breathed just as Hort vanished.

 

~

 

Hort reappeared in the clearing and tumbled to the ground, partly because he had been leaning on Ravan for support while they were kissing but mostly because he had been extremely injured and his breathing was a struggle.

 

Nymphs hurried over and carried him away, but his heads never left the blue forest.

 

Ravan kissed him.

 

And he'd kissed Ravan back (a bit greedily if he was going to be honest).

 

And now Ravan was in there alone.

 

He glanced at the leaderboard and saw Agatha and Tedros up there alongside Hester and Anadil.

 

There were four Evers and three Nevers.

 

He silently cheered his friend on.

 

But now that he was thinking about it, he wasn't sure he and Ravan were friends.

 

Were they dating now?

 

He'd never really dated anyone before and he wondered if a kiss was enough to constitute dating.

 

These were his last bleary thoughts as he slipped out of consciousness.

 

~

 

Beatrix continued to half carry Reena out of the foliage and took them to a river.

 

She set the girl down on a small patch of grass and examined her wounds with worried eyes.

 

Reena was fumbling with something around her belt and Beatrix ignored it for a second.

 

That is until she caught sight of a small white handkerchief.

 

She grabbed Reena's hand and held it tight.

 

"What are you doing?!"

 

Reena smiled sadly at her.

 

"I'm a burden. I don't want to lower your chances of winning," she said softly.

 

Beatrix felt her face heating up.

 

"You can't leave me here alone. I'll protect you! We'll win together, even if I have to fight the two witches myself!"

 

She didn't mention Hort and Ravan because if she did she might get angry enough to stand up and storm after them on her own to avenge her Reena.

 

"You'll do better without me. Win for me?" Reena asked sweetly.

 

She gave her best puppy dog eyes and her storm cloud colored pupils almost did Beatrix in right there.

 

But she controlled herself quickly and shook her head vehemently.

 

"No."

 

She went down to one knee and grabbed onto the handkerchief that Reena was trying to pin to the ground beside her.

 

Reena released a bit and Beatrix thought she was giving up.

 

But instead Reena just smiled at her.

 

"Do you remember when I asked you to the Snow Ball?"

 

Beatrix faltered at the memory and her heart raced as heat rushed to her face.

 

She nodded wordlessly.

 

"I never wanted to go as friends."

 

Reena grinned and she whispered the next part like a little secret between the two of them.

 

"I like you."

 

When Beatrix was thoroughly shocked, Reena ripped the handkerchief from Beatrix's hand.

 

"Win for me, Bea."

 

She pinned the handkerchief between her fingers and the bright blue grass.


	32. Chapter 32

Hort awoke with a strangled gasp and he pushed himself up in his sickbed.

 

A nymph was on him in moments and tried to push him down.

 

Hort growled wolfishly.

 

She backed up with wide eyes and he pushed himself up, limping outside to where all the Evers and Nevers were anxiously watching.

 

Hort came toward them and suddenly he was the center of attention.

 

"What happened?" several asked.

 

"How did you get disqualified?"

 

"Was it a trap?"

 

Hort took a seat at the front, grunting in pain.

 

"There were mistwalkers."

 

Mutters ensued and everyone assumed he had been taken out by those and went to their own conversations.

 

"But I stopped them... it hurt a lot."

 

Hort grimaced in remembrance.

 

"And then Ravan was taking me through the forest and helping me...," Hort paused, "and then we ran into Beatrix and Reena."

 

They all stared at him.

 

"And Ravan fought them... well, just Beatrix really. And then he told me I had to drop my handkerchief because Beatrix hit me with an arrow... I said no... and he... distracted me before stealing mine and dropping it."

 

Evers and Nevers that he now realized were sitting far closer than they ever had, suddenly eyed each other distrustfully.

 

As if they couldn't trust each other because of Hort's story.

 

"Nevers really do just betray each other," one whispered.

 

Hort shook his head violently.

 

"No! No, he was worried about me."

 

He blushed and remembered the way that Ravan had distracted him long enough to get his kerchief.

 

Nevers and Evers looked at each other in surprise and the gap between them seemed to be bridged once more.

 

But there was still an injury from the story about how Hort and Ravan had fought the two princesses.

 

But then he could see he Arabian princess limping over toward him.

 

She took a seat beside him and grunted in pain.

 

She gave him a small smile and he met it with surprise.

 

"Beatrix was just... she was worried. About me."

 

"So was Ravan."

 

Everyone stared at them with shock and the two sat in silence.

 

"You like him, don't you?" she asked.

 

It was a quiet little whisper that Hort had just barely heard.

 

He blushed darkly and nodded slowly.

 

She laughed but then looked like she regretted it, gripping her side with a grimace.

 

"And you and her...?"

 

Reena nodded and was about to keep speaking when suddenly there were bright white sparks in the air.

 

Reena's eyes widened and she was about to take off running (unadvisable when you were as injured as she), but Agatha and Tedros appeared.

 

She let out a breath of relief upon realizing that Beatrix was still in the blue forest.

 

But she was still, understandably, tensed about the situation.

 

Reena told her story a few moments later and as she and Hort sat side by side they seemed to draw the other Evers and Nevers throughout the clearing together as well.

 

It was really... sweet.

 

~

 

Hester could hear shrieks from a few dozen yards away.

 

"HESTER!"

 

"YOU NEED TO TELL HER!"

 

Hester was shocked to find that they were all Anadil's voice.

 

But Anadil was standing right beside her and wasn't speaking at all.

 

Anadil could hear Hester's voice.

 

"I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN!"

 

"YOU'RE DISGUSTING!"

 

Anadil gasped and felt herself want to curl in on herself.

 

But Hester wasn't saying anything.

 

Before she knew what she was doing, she found that she had closed the little difference between herself and Hester.

 

The tattooed witch wrapped an arm around her and they hurried away from the shrieks.

 

Each one was wondering what the other girl could have been hearing and each was glad the other didn't know what they themselves heard.

 

~

 

Ravan limped through the forest in search of Beatrix.

 

But he soon realized that he had no idea where the Ever was or how to track her...

 

And he wasn't sure if it would be a good idea to.

 

He was hurt, bleeding, and limping. Not to mention the fact that he was pretty sure three of his ribs were bruised from the arrow to the gut.

 

He could hear screams all around him.

 

Hort's screams.

 

"RAVAN!"

 

"RAVAN HELP!"

 

"RAVAN WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME!?"

 

"RAVAN YOU BETRAYED ME!"

 

"RAVAN YOU SHOULD NEVER HAVE KISSED ME!"

 

He fell to his knees.

 

What had he done?!

 

"RAVAN!"

 

He curled in on himself until his head was right against his knees with his arms drawing them closer.

 

He was hyperventilating.

 

He wasn't sure if this was in his head or if Hort had somehow found him or if this could be a trap.

 

He was shaking as his hand drew the kerchief from his boot and slammed it against the ground.

 

He could feel tears in his eyes as he was teleported back to the clearing.

 

~

 

Hort caught sight of red sparks and his head shot up.

 

He tried to jump to his feet, but he stumbled and almost fell.

 

Reena was there, however, and she steadied him gently and helped him stay on his feet even as she was a bit iffy.

 

They hurried to where the Never was supposed to appear.

 

But instead of a standing form, or even one slumped due to exhaustion, they were met with a crying, whimpering Never that was still curled in on himself.

 

Hort was on his knees beside the other boy and was gently pulling him to his lap.

 

Ravan was shaking and clinging to Hort.

 

Professor was there in moments.

 

"Telling Tulips," she muttered.

 

Nymphs were hurrying forward.

 

"They unleash your deepest fears and you can actually hear them and see them come to life in front of you."

 

Her eyes grew misty.

 

"Lesso used to use those every year. Said they showed you who a person really was inside."

 

She didn't add that whenever she heard the tulips shriek it was her best friend shouting about how she was a disgrace for falling in love with her.

 

Dovey sniffled and turned around, reminding herself of how Lesso had told her she loved her.

 

It wasn't often, but it had been enough for her.

 

~

 

Hester and Anadil had run into the same trees that had grabbed hold of Reena, but Hester's demon and Anadil's rats were able to get them out and they ran for their lives.

 

But Anadil stumbles and fell, the gash on her leg coming back to haunt her.

 

She expected Hester to keep running as she plummeted toward the ground in front of her.

 

But Hester grabbed her around the waist and tugged her on.

 

They were finally out of the reach of the trees.

 

"Ani, I wanted to tell you that-"

 

But there were loud shrieks again, this time belonging to Dot and Agatha.

 

Anadil went to sprint toward the two voices, but Hester grabbed onto her cold hand.

 

"No, it's a trap."

 

Anadil looked worried, a very odd expression on the albino's face.

 

"Agatha wouldn't be screaming so that anyone, or anything, could hear and follow it to her."

 

Anadil took a deep breath.

 

"You're right."

 

"Plus, Dot was eliminated before we even got in here."

 

Anadil blushed bright red and looked at the ground.

 

Hester should have been making fun of her.

 

She really should have.

 

Should have said that she was using her heart and not her head, something Nevers didn't do.

 

But instead she patted Anadil's shoulder uncomfortably in an attempt to comfort her.

 

"I guarantee you that at least two dumb Evers got disqualified by that trap," Hester said.

 

Anadil snickered and nodded her head in agreement, her lips growing into a grin.

 

"Ani, I wanted to tell you that-"

 

There were sparks in the air and she was reminded that they were in the Trial by Tale.

 

She didn't have time to think about this Ever feeling thing she definitely wasn't used to.

 

~

 

Beatrix could hear weird and unsettling sounds all around her.

 

She tried to ignore them, but it was infinitely harder without Reena beside her.

 

Without hearing Reena's steady breathing and her calm demeanor radiating out.

 

Without her presence, the whole blue forest felt darker and deadlier.

 

Beatrix took a calming breath and tried not to focus on how worried she was for the other girl.

 

Was she okay?

 

Was she still hurt?

 

How much had the nymphs and teacher been able to heal?

 

And one thought trumped them all.

 

She likes me.

 

It made her whole heart fill until it was about to burst while butterflies erupted through her stomach.

 

She tried not to blush and turned her attention back to the forest around her.

 

She could hear something behind her and she spun around to see weird amalgamations of wolves, bears, and goats.

 

It made her eyes widen in disbelief as they quickly moved in a practiced formation until they surrounded her completely.

 

She drew her bow and her finger glowed, but even with both she found they were advancing much faster than she would have thought possible.

 

She struggled for a full minute to fight them off, but after that she was overwhelmed.

 

She dropped her white handkerchief and felt her heart ache.

 

She hadn't won for Reena.

 

She'd failed her.

 

~

 

Reena saw bright white sparks appear in the blue forest and her eyes widened.

 

Beatrix appeared with deep cuts all along her body.

 

Reena stumbled to her feet with the help of Hort.

 

She hurried up to her friend and stumbled a bit.

 

Beatrix had a very concerned and worried look on her face.

 

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

 

Hort backed up and allowed them to have a moment.

 

He glanced back at the tents and wondered how long until Ravan would be out.

 

He wanted a replay of before his handkerchief had been dropped...

 

Reena helped Beatrix up and shook her head.

 

"Don't apologize," she said with an eye roll.

 

"It's okay. I don't want you to be hurt," Reena said with a grin.

 

Beatrix suddenly seemed to remember something and her face turned red.

 

She awkward glanced at her friend and then was suddenly rubbing her hands together in a very awkward way.

 

"Reena, did you really mean what you said?"

 

Reena was grinning and she leaned over so that her face was mere inches from Beatrix's.

 

The latter princess turned bright red and she gulped.

 

"Every word."

 

The nymphs were on them now and trying to pull Beatrix to the medical tent.

 

Reena grabbed her hand and held tight, pulling her in for a kiss.

 

The nymphs jumped back in shock, their eyes wide.

 

Reena smiled into the kiss and wrapped her arms around Beatrix's waist to hold her up despite her injuries.

 

Beatrix melted into the kiss and wrapped her arms around Reena's neck, pulling her impossibly closer.

 

Evers and Nevers alike gaped at the two princesses that were kissing openly in the clearing.

 

Evers and Nevers seemed closer still after the display.

 

~

 

Kiko watched as her friends (finally) started kissing.

 

She took a deep breath and steeled herself.

 

She turned to Dot and grabbed onto the competitor's coat, pulling her down into a kiss.

 

Dot squeaked at the contact and was frozen for a long moment before her hands went to tangle in Kiko's beautiful dark pigtails that she had found herself fantasizing about far too much lately.

 

Nevers gaped.

 

Evers gaped.

 

Teachers gaped.

 

An Ever and Never were kissing in the middle of the clearing!

 

The last couple they'd had doing that had been... well, Tedros and Sophie.

 

Sophie was gaping too.

 

An Ever and a Never.

 

That hit really close to home and she was already thinking about a dark-skinned first year Evergirl that made her heart skip several beats at a time.

 

Dot pulled Kiko closer but didn't estimate their position and she pulled Kiko right into her lap.

 

Both of them squeaked and they tumbled over, both laughing and being absolutely adorable.

 

As they always did.

 

~

 

Hester could hear howls in every direction.

 

They were back.


	33. Chapter 33

Suddenly, an Ever sitting in the clearing saw it.

 

With the two new and honestly bizarre couples that had stated kissing in the clearing, people seemed to not realize it.

 

But suddenly one of them noticed.

 

"Its just them."

 

The Never next to her turned around with a raised eyebrow.

 

"What?"

 

"It's just them in the blue forest."

 

The Never looked up at the leaderboard and gaped.

 

"It's just Hester and Anadil in the blue forest."

 

Everyone gasped and watched the leaderboard.

 

And slowly everyone started to root for them.

 

Even the Evers.

 

They could riot for nobody to win, but instead they were going for the two Nevers to win together.

 

Something that hadn't ever happened.

 

It was as if they were a new (and of course better) Sophie and Tedros that were bringing both schools together.

 

Some had started to whisper about Nevers actually being allowed to fall in love.

 

Was it possible?

 

Now Evers and Nevers started to glance at each other and then looked at Dot and Kiko who were cuddling quite profusely side by side.

 

"But Dot's like barely a Never," one said.

 

And they all wondered if more... serious Nevers could too.

 

Several were even hopeful at the idea.

 

~

 

Ravan limped out of the medical tent and toward his friend.

 

Crush?

 

He wasn't sure.

 

"Hort," he whispered.

 

The other boy whipped his head around and looked at Ravan with shock.

 

"Yeah?" he asked with a small pink tint to his cheeks.

 

"Can I talk to you for a minute?"

 

Hort agreed far too quickly and followed Ravan out of the clearing.

 

"What did you want to talk about?"

 

Ravan just looked at him and he knew what he was referring to.

 

He blushed.

 

He put a hand on Ravan's cheek and that was all the other boy needed before he pulled Hort in for a long kiss.

 

~

 

The sun was rising in the distance and the two witches were bloody, bruised, and tired of everything.

 

And now they could hear the howls of the weird amalgamations of animals that were around them.

 

"Ani, I really, really need to tell you something."

 

"Hester, is this really the time for this?" Anadil asked, though to be honest she was more worried about what Hester was likely to be thinking about than the timing.

 

"Ani, I need to tell you something and I don't care what's happening around us!" she snapped.

 

"Ani, I-"

 

There was a howl from the side and Hester let out a growl that made even the weird wolf bear things look at her with fear.

 

"Ani, I-"

 

There was another howl and Hester suddenly screamed in rage.

 

Her demon exploded off of her neck and shot around the room and slammed into all of the creatures around them.

 

Hester didn't even realize that Anadil was watching her go with wide red eyes as Hester exploded with rage, destroying all those around her except for Anadil.

 

Her demon decapitated the mindless, horrifying creature that had been chasing them.

 

Hester's finger was glowing brightly and it looked like the sun.

 

She made clouds appeared and lightning strike the monstrosities.

 

She made a flood slam against five of them and carry them away with howls.

 

And her demon was the star of the show.

 

It killed countless creatures, left and right until it was a whirlwind of destruction and chaos.

 

Anadil had no idea where the creatures were coming from or who had made them, but she knew that they couldn't be natural considering she'd never seen one of those before, in real life or in her textbooks.

 

Hester let out another ground shaking growl, but Anadil wasn't sure if that was because Hester's rage was practically palpable or because Hester was actually making the world shake beneath them.

 

A few minutes later, there weren't anymore creatures around them.

 

Hester was panting and her eyes were still ablaze.

 

"Hester, are you okay?"

 

Hester suddenly slumped in exhaustion and slid against a tree.

 

"That was... amazing."

 

Anadil was looking at her Hester like she always did.

 

Like she had singlehandedly put the stars in the sky.

 

"Ani, I need to tell you something," Hester said, pushing herself up off of the tree and coming to look Anadil in the eyes.

 

Hester was exhausted and Anadil could see the cuts and bruises that littered her body.

 

She'd never thought she was more beautiful.

 

"I-"

 

Wolves howled.

 

Real wolves.

 

Hester looked up and saw that the sun had risen.

 

But she didn't care.

 

She didn't care that the students were probably all running in right now and that they would all see.

 

She didn't care about anything but Anadil.

 

She was about to start her wind up that she had prepared and started time and time again, but she decided that if she did she would be interrupted again.

 

The world just didn't want her to say it.

 

And so she did what she wanted to.

 

She grabbed Anadil by the collar of her coat and pulled her up.

 

Anadil gasped in surprise as Hester connected their lips.

 

Anadil's knees gave out, equally due to surprise and her injuries.

 

Hester tried to hold her up, but she was exhausted too.

 

The two fell to the ground, but neither of them really cared as they did.

 

Hester crossed her legs and pulled Anadil into her lap to let her reach her lips.

 

"Ani, I wanted to tell you that-"

 

Hester looked up as if expecting something else to interrupt her.

 

"I love you," she whispered.

 

Anadil froze for a moment as she gazed up at Hester.

 

"I love you, too," Anadil whispered.

 

Hester pulled Anadil closer and practically held her in a sitting position in her lap.

 

Anadil shifted using one arm while keeping her lips on Hester's.

 

When she had finished, she wrapped her arms around Hester's neck and pulled the two closer.

 

There were several students hurrying in to congratulate them.

 

And yet they all froze as they saw the two.

 

Hestrr had her hand tangled in Anadil's hair and Anadil was tracing the tattoo on the other girl's neck with reverence (she'd always wanted to touch the tattoo, to know if it felt different from the rest of her body... she found out that it did and it felt softer than she would have thought imaginable).

 

When they both pulled away for air, the two witches found themselves looking at the entirety of their grade.

 

Anadil blushed and she pulled herself closer to Hester, hiding her face between the other girl's neck and her hair.

 

Hester glared at them all for a long moment and pulled Anadil closer, making the other witch squeak alongside her rats.

 

"What?" Hester asked, her voice low and gravelly as she looked at the rest of the students.

 

But then people were grinning and some cheered.

 

Dot was clapping and whistling as loudly as she could.

 

Beatrix was holding Reena's hand (and Reena looked incredibly shocked) and had loud cheers after having seen Anadil pull Hester into a kiss earlier before actually running away from the other girl.

 

Agatha was grinning and clapping while Tedros stared at the two with his jaw slack and almost on the ground.

 

The nymphs had had enough of Trial by Tale champions winning and interrupting them, so they swiftly hurried in and went to grab the two and carry them to the medical tent.

 

The albino winced as the nymphs grazed her cuts.

 

Hester growled like a feral dog and she pulled Anadil closer.

 

Professor Dovey was there a few moments later and was quietly telling Hester that she had to let Anadil go so that she could be helped.

 

Hester tightened her grip on Anadil for a long moment before she slowly let go.

 

The albino looked up at her and Hester gave her her best grin that she could.

 

She released Anadil and the nymphs took both of them back to the tents.

 

All of the Evers and Nevers were gaping and staring at the two of them with disbelief.

 

Dot grinned and moved closer to Kiko and said how cute her roommates were.

 

Hester may or may not have flipped her off as she was carried off.

 

"WAIT! DID HESTER AND ANADIL JUST MAKE OUT?!" Sophie shrieked.

 

"Don't be so surprised," Agatha said.

 

"I DIDN'T KNOW HESTER COULD HAVE FEELINGS!"

 

"Pot, meet kettle," Agatha said as she thought about Sophie and Nicola.

 

Sophie blushed deeply as she looked at Agatha.

 

Agatha laughed and put her head on Tedros' shoulder.

 

He grimaced and she rolled her eyes.

 

"You're fine, Tedros," she said.

 

He gasped dramatically.

 

~

 

Hester rolled over on her sickbed and could see Anadil laying on the sickbed beside hers.

 

Anadil looked over and raised an eyebrow at her friend.

 

Anadil reached a hand out and grazed against Hester's own.

 

The tattooed witch felt her face turn red and she grabbed onto the other girl's hand and held it a bit too tightly.

 

Anadil didn't mind.

 

"Ani-"

 

There were hushed voices outside and footsteps as people tried to listen in on the conversation going on in the thinly walled tent.

 

Hester growled and her finger glowed, but she realized she was too exhausted to actually use any spells.

 

She slumped a bit and Anadil laughed, thinking that perhaps she should have waited for a less public opportunity for her and Anadil to start making out.

 

But she saw bright red eyes looking at her with a light of love and she couldn't find it within her to be the slightest bit remorseful.

 

She scooted closer to Anadil.

 

"How long until we had to go out there, you think?" Hester asked.

 

Anadil shrugged and thought for a moment.

 

"I'd give it about half an hour."

 

Hester snorted and rolled her eyes.

 

She leaned forward and connected her lips with Anadil's for an eternity before pulling away.

 

It could have been just a moment, but to her every kiss with Anadil made it seem like time had stopped and they were the only things that mattered in the whole universe.

 

She sat up, groaning a bit, and pulled Anadil up behind her.

 

"Might as well get this over with," Hester said with a small scowl, but she couldn't hold it long as she remembered her kiss with Anadil.

 

The albino grumbled.

 

"Maybe we could wait just a little while longer? Have a few more... distracting moments?"

 

Hester looked over her shoulder and winked at Anadil.

 

"Oh, you can count on it. Just not quite yet."

 

Anadil colored and followed Hester out of the tent, their hands still intertwined.

 

They could see pretty much all of their fellow students looking at them with slack jaws.

 

Hester thought they all looked as moronic as Tedros.

 

Anadil twitched a bit with her hand in Hester's, but the tattooed witch tightened her grip around Anadil in a comforting sort of way she didn't know she knew how to do.

 

The fourth years were the only ones allowed out here because the first years had their Trial by Tale the next day and they didn't want them getting any unfair advantages from having heard the stories from the first day.

 

Agatha gave Hester a wide smile and then gave Anadil a thumbs up, making the albino almost look like she wasn't impossibly pale in the first place.

 

Dot squeaked and hurried toward her friend sand drew they both into a tight hug, squealing with excitement.

 

"I'm so happy you finally got together! It took forever!"

 

Hester rolled her eyes, but when she thought that nobody was looking she gave Dot the barest of fond smiles as she watched her head.

 

She pulled Hester a few feet to the side.

 

"When you ask her to the No Ball, remember that she likes dead flowers. Not living ones, but dead ones. She just loves them."

 

Hester colored and glanced up at Anadil, imagining them going to the No Ball together.

 

"I think I know Ani," she said before striding back over.

 

Several people were bombarding Anadil with questions and the girl grabbed onto Hester's hand and held it tightly.

 

Hester snickered, but told everyone to back off her Ani in a commanding tone that made Anadil look at her with hearts for eyes.

 

The fourth year Trial by Tale had ended...

 

But the first year one was just about to begin.


	34. Chapter 34

Theresa took a deep breath and popped her neck four times.

 

Amber looked at her with shock.

 

"Is that healthy?"

 

"Aw, Amb is worrying about me."

 

Amber spluttered.

 

"What?! Am not!"

 

Theresa raised an eyebrow and grinned.

 

Hilda looked between the two and felt oddly out of place as her sister glared at the other girl and Theresa just grinned.

 

The Trail by Tale was about to start and all they knew about the last one was that Hester and Anadil had one.

 

Hilda and Amber had been smug and started talking about continuing the family tradition.

 

Theresa was practicing a few of her sword forms while she spun in circles.

 

Axel and Nathan were quietly talking together in a corner while Nathan kept glancing up at Serenity.

 

Each of them had stubbornly decided to go solo as if they had to prove something.

 

Serenity had her eyes glued to Dede as they discussed a few bits of their strategy.

 

Dede has glanced at Nicola and was wondering if the girl was going to be able to handle this well.

 

That was a silly thought.

 

She was Nicola of Wood Beyond, probably the smartest person she knew.

 

She glanced up and caught sight of Serenity.

 

Okay, maybe one of the two smartest people she knew, she amended while she looked at Nicola's daughter.

 

Milly was on her own and Hilda seemed a bit upset about that, so she walked over and started to talk quietly.

 

Amber noticed, but she didn't really think much about it as Theresa turned her attention to her.

 

"Don't worry, I'll protect you in there."

 

Amber opened her mouth, prepared to pick a fight and be unnecessarily confrontational (mostly because the idea of Theresa protecting her made her knees go weak).

 

But Theresa spoke first.

 

"And I trust that you'll have my back."

 

Amber swallowed and nodded, finding that she didn't really think she could form a coherent sentence at the moment.

 

Theresa beamed at her and then looked up as the wolves howled.

 

The first two were grabbed and shoved into the blue forest.

 

The Trial by Tale had begun.

 

They just all had to hope they were ready for it.

 

~

 

The first that was supposed to enter was Dede.

 

She took a deep breath and looked at the gates.

 

The wolves grabbed her and she allowed them to shove her inside.

 

The Ever beside her took off and she ignored the cowardly prince for the time being.

 

She knew that Nathan wold be in the blue forest shortly, but she also knew he didn't want to team up with her.

 

That meant that her only other ally was supposed to be... Serenity.

 

Which was great.

 

Serenity was smart, brilliant really, and they were great friends. Really close friends.

 

But none of that was why she was upset about this.

 

The real reason was that Serenity was the first place Ever.

 

Which meant she would be coming into the blue forest in a little over three hours.

 

Dede has planned for this, but the confirmation just made it all the more groundbreaking.

 

~

 

Nathan knew he was coming up and he took a deep breath, bouncing on the balls of his feet and thinking about his fathers.

 

They could do this, so he could too.

 

But it still seemed impossible and for a moment he found himself about to fall down a rabbit hole of fear and distraught.

 

But before any of that could happen, Axel put a calming hand on his shoulder and looked into his eyes.

 

Axel didn't have those insanely pristine blue eyes like his father or sister. His were more of a deep brown shade like his mother's.

 

Nathan had never thought about Axel's eyes in this much depth before and it was a weird sensation as he found himself lost in them.

 

But he pulled his eyes away.

 

"Good luck," Axel muttered.

 

"You too," Nathan forced himself to saw before he was dragged into the forest by wolves and heard their howling right behind him.

 

He took a dee breath and took off into the forest, his mind whirling as he tried to remember his plan and consider any traps he came across.

 

~

 

Serenity and Axel stood side by side, both of them watching the blue forest with almost identical expressions.

 

"She's going to be fine," Axel whispered to Serenity.

 

"So is he," she responded.

 

They'd slipped into an easy routine of comforting each other about their respective crushes.

 

It was a bit weird, but it was them.

 

Serenity put her head on Axel's shoulder, even though her cousin was a bit shorter than her.

 

But she didn't mention that and just sought his comfort.

 

~

 

Dede could hear odd howls in the distance and she wisely avoided them.

 

She was taking the time honored tradition of hiding.

 

She had mogrified into a small bunny.

 

Nobody would suspect a bunny, right?

 

She really hoped not as she hopped around and tried to blend in as a normal little carrot eating fiend.

 

She didn't like bunnies very much, but that was besides the point as she hopped down a few trails.

 

~

 

Nathan had gone for a different strategy and was hunting down all the Evers and Nevers he could find, his eyes flashing with danger.

 

He took a deep breath and imagined hearing drums in his head.

 

He beat his foot and a wolf appeared by his side.

 

He stomped his took again and soon the wolf stood with two heads.

 

His talent was a weird amalgamation of his father's, but it seemed to get the job done... that is when he could get it to last for more than a few minutes at a time.

 

He wasn't sure how his fathers did it.

 

But he went through the forest anyways with a bit of confidence.

 

He'd been working on his talent for a few weeks lately and he was pretty sure he'd gotten better, despite what his fearful thoughts said about it.

 

He could hear footsteps a bit ahead of him and his first thought was of proving himself.

 

In his mind, Serenity's beautiful, smiling face flashed. As did Axel, though the face he made was the expression he always made whenever he knew the answer to a question and got a bit smug.

 

He guessed he could see a bit of resemblance between the two when they were right. They were cousins, after all.

 

But seeing both made him get a weird feeling in his stomach that he didn't really want to think about.

 

Instead, he focused on the Ever he was ambushing.

 

He managed to scare the princess into dropping her handkerchief by a little bit of fire breathing that came from his wolf that stood beside him.

 

~

 

Milly took a shuddering breath as she was shoved into the blue forest.

 

She stumbled for a moment before she spun to face whoever was beside her.

 

But the Never has already hurried out of the small opening by the gates at the front of the blue forest.

 

She was the fifth to enter and she knew that she just had to wait until Hilda came in.

 

The two had made a last minute alliance.

 

But Hilda wasn't going to be here until first place was supposed to enter.

 

Milly tried not to think about how proud she was of her friend for doing so well in her rankings.

 

~

 

Sophie glanced over at the slightly taller girl as she prepared for her turn to enter the blue forest.

 

She didn't like the way the dark-skinned girl was looking at he forest like it was another problem she could attack like she did in class.

 

Well, okay, Sophie did like the way she looked at it because she thought it was a really pretty expression on the other girl's face, but it was troubling that she thought of the Trial by Tale in such a way.

 

Before Sophie knew what she was doing, she made her way over to Nicola.

 

She tried to make her feet stop, but they wouldn't listen and she soon stopped just a few feet from the other girl.

 

Nicola turned around and raised an eyebrow as she looked at Sophie.

 

"What do you want?" she asked levelly, looking at her like she wasn't sure whether she should be on guard or not.

 

Sophie knew she had it bad when she found that distrust to be extremely attractive.

 

"Stay away from the bunnies," she warned.

 

Nicola raise dan eyebrow and looked Sophie up and down as if trying to see if she was hiding a weapon.

 

But when her gaze looked Sophie up and down... well it made her feel flustered and her heart started to beat twice as fast.

 

"Why?"

 

Sophie could see everyone watching the two of them and obviously wondering what she could be talking to the other girl about.

 

"They're a trap."

 

"Then why are you telling me this?"

 

"Because... you used to be my student."

 

Nicola raised an eyebrow at the answer, clearly not certain whether she should believe that or the advice.

 

Sophie sighed.

 

"I don't want you to get hurt," she said with a small blush on her face.

 

Nicola gaped at her.

 

"Are you being serious?"

 

Sophie looked up at her and Nicola's eyes bulged.

 

"Okay, I'll stay away from them."

 

"And if you hear anyone calling out for help, it's not them."

 

"Isn't this cheating?"

 

Sophie grew a mischievous grin.

 

"Did you just ask if the dean of Evil is cheating?"

 

Nicola was silent for a moment before she cracked up laughing.

 

It made Sophie's heart swell and she couldn't help but watch as the Evergirl's shoulder shook with laughter and her eyes grew an almost childish light of joy.

 

Nicola stopped laughing and grinned at Sophie.

 

Not a malicious grin or a grin about having just beat her during a challenge they'd had in her class...

 

But it was a real grin that could light up a black hole.

 

Sophie gulped and met it with a smile of her own, trying not to think about how badly she wanted to kiss those beaming lips.

 

"If your advice is good, I might just have to trust you," Nicola said.

 

Sophie felt herself rush to speak.

 

"It's true!"

 

Nicola turned around and raised an eyebrow as she watched Sophie.

 

She clamped her mouth shut to stop from embarrassing herself any further.

 

But Nicola was still smiling and she turned to face Sophie fully.

 

"How did you learn about spider's silk?"

 

"I'm a woman of the world. I know things."

 

Nicola seemed to deflate.

 

"Oh. I thought you might have read it in a book."

 

Sophie swallowed.

 

"I did."

 

Nicola's head shot up.

 

"Really?"

 

Sophie nodded and Nicola took a step forward.

 

They were now less than a foot away, but Nicola didn't seem to notice as her caramel brown eyes lit up with an enthusiasm that could only come from books.

 

"Which one?"

 

Sophie told her and Nicola looked surprised.

 

"I've never heard of that one."

 

"I'll have to let you borrow it," Sophie said quickly (once she had remembered how to speak while those beautiful brown eyes looked into, seeming to stare into her very soul).

 

"I would... really like that," Nicola said and she turned to look at the gates.

 

There were a few people ahead of her (two really) and she seemed to relax a bit, looking at Sophie.

 

They talked about fairytales for the next thirty minutes and then suddenly it was Nicola's turn.

 

Sophie wasn't ready.

 

Nicola was the fourth to enter, but she was close to third and if she had been focusing on only Good she might have beaten second.

 

But as it was she was entering now and there was nothing Sophie could do but watch as the other girl entered.

 

~

 

Nicola spun to face the Never and her finger was already glowing a deep orange that was much closer to pink than she remembered it being.

 

She sprouted the grass from the ground and used it to wrap around the Neverboy, snaring him.

 

She grabbed his book and threw his handkerchief to the ground.

 

How did she know the kerchief was in his boot?

 

She had watched him put it there in anticipation for this very moment.

 

Sometimes it paid off to notice the small things.

 

The boy vanished with a strangled gasp.

 

~

 

Sophie knew she should be upset that her Never had been disqualified so quickly, but when he told the story she could help but smile and be proud of the younger girl.

 

Yes, she had it bad.


	35. Chapter 35

Axel took a deep breath and allowed himself to be shoved into the Trial by Tale.

 

Axel took a deep breath and raced into the forest.

 

He had a plan. He was going on the offensive.

 

For a moment, Axel wondered how he could track down anyone in the blue forest.

 

But then he could feel something... rippling out of the forest.

 

Fear, confusion...

 

His eyes widened.

 

He could track them by emotions!

 

Axel took off toward the emotions, smirking and letting his finger glow.

 

~

 

Dede saw a figure burst into the clearing.

 

A very familiar figure.

 

Her bunny eyes widened as she watched Nathan panting and looking around with concern.

 

Dede stopped for a moment and stared at Nathan.

 

As in the boy that she had a crush on.

 

But she knew he liked Serenity and she was pretty sure that she liked him too.

 

And so she decided to try her best to let him go.

 

And that meant...

 

She scurried across the ground, hopping until she was right by his foot.

 

She leapt into the air and scurried into the coat and threw the handkerchief to the ground.

 

Nathan grasped at the kerchief and tried to get a hold of it as it tumbled to the ground.

 

Dede snickered and bit his hand to keep him from the handkerchief.

 

It touched the ground and Nathan disappeared.

 

Dede fell to the ground and let out a surprised breath.

 

She shook out her fur and found herself grinning.

 

She had disqualified Nathan!

 

~

 

Milly whistled and her wolfhounds burst into the clearing.

 

The Never that had tracked her into the clearing took a step back as Goldy growled and sprinted toward him.

 

The Never took off running, but Goldy tackled him and the Never shrieked.

 

Milly walked up calmly and sat down beside the Never, looking at her nails and seeing if she'd broke one.

 

"Help!"

 

Milly continued to analyze her fingernails.

 

"Just drop your flag."

 

The Never's finger glowed brightly.

 

Milly whistled and Goldy was holding him by the collar of his coat and he was shrieking again.

 

"Just drop it," she said, still not looking up from her fingernails.

 

The Never let out another scream as Goldy slammed her paw into his shoulder blade.

 

The Never finally let go of the handkerchief.

 

Milly grinned and stood up, making her way back into the blue forest with her two wolfhounds.

 

~

 

Hilda could see a Never she didn't remember the name of enter the clearing.

 

"CRAZY PRINCESS ALMOST BROKE MY ARM!"

 

Hilda looked up.

 

"THAT PRINCESS HAD HER WOLFHOUND ALMOST EAT ME!"

 

Hilda found a smile growing on her lips.

 

"What happened?" Hilda asked.

 

The Never was about to be taken by nymphs, but Hilda grabbed him roughly by the injured arm.

 

He called her a long list of curse words and she tightened her grip.

 

"Fine, fine!" he shouted.

 

By the time he'd finished telling the story, Hilda could feel butterflies in her stomach and she tried to ignore how amazing Milly sounded.

 

Even as a princess she was...

 

She fought the smile that was growing on her lips and let the other Never go.

 

~

 

Nicola looked up and could see bunnies jumping around the clearing, looking innocently.

 

One of them jumped at her and she sidestepped.

 

She considered for a moment and shook her head.

 

She was going to do the unthinkable.

 

She was going to... trust Sophie.

 

Nicola turned around and made her way out of the clearing, making sure she could feel the kerchief in her coat sleeve.

 

She'd cut a small hole in the clothing when they were making it and she could easily remove it in case of emergency, but it wouldn't fall out.

 

Also, nobody would expect for her to hide it there.

 

"NICOLA!"

 

She jumped and looked up.

 

Wait...

 

Her father?!

 

What was he doing here?!

 

"NIIICOLA!"

 

"Sophie?!"

 

But hearing Sophie calling her reminded Nicola that she couldn't listen to these voices.

 

She shouldn't listen to the voices of those she cared about because they were a trap.

 

But... Nicola didn't care about Sophie.

 

Of course not.

 

But if she didn't care about her, then Nicola wouldn't hear her voice in the ones she cared about.

 

Which meant that-

 

This must really be Sophie.

 

Her heart pounded with worry and she almost started racing through the blue forest.

 

But she stopped herself.

 

Oh no.

 

She couldn't cared about Sophie.

 

Of course not.

 

But...

 

She growled.

 

She cared about Sophie.

 

She couldn't believe it.

 

She sighed and ignored the way Sophie's voice was still calling for her.

 

~

 

"I'll see you in fifteen minutes," Hilda said seriously, her eyes watching Amber seriously.

 

"Don't worry! I've got her back," Theresa said with a grin.

 

She wrapped her arm around Amber's shoulders and she instantly blushed, looking at her friend.

 

Theresa was just smiling at her and Hilda cleared her throat.

 

Amber tore her eyes away from Theresa.

 

"Remember where we're supposed to meet," Hilda said.

 

Amber nodded and they were being let to the blue forest gate.

 

They were shoved in and Amber stumbled, bumping into Theresa.

 

She grabbed onto Amber and grinned, holding her up.

 

Amber blushed and looked at Theresa's beaming face.

 

"Be careful. Don't want to see you get hurt," she said.

 

Amber shoved herself off of Theresa, ignoring the scent of mint that she caught, and looked up.

 

"Come on, we need to get going."

 

"I'll follow you anywhere," Theresa said.

 

Amber blushed and glared at the other girl.

 

Theresa just kept grinning at Amber.

 

~

 

"We can just wait here for a while until Hilda gets in."

 

Theresa shrugged.

 

"I'll see if there's anyone at the perimeter."

 

Amber rolled her eyes.

 

The clearing was rather large, but Amber wasn't going to let Theresa know she agreed with her.

 

All she could think about was the plan she was trying to formulate at the moment.

 

It wasn't going too well.

 

So far all she had was to wait for Hilda.

 

Hilda usually took the lead when it came to them.

 

She was better in school and a more natural born leader.

 

Amber was still thinking as footsteps could be heard from a little ways away.

 

Heavy, inhuman footsteps.

 

~

 

Theresa was almost done with the perimeter and she was worrying about her brother.

 

What could he be up to?

 

Was he okay?

 

She took a deep breath and shook her head.

 

She needed to let him do this on his own.

 

Theresa turned and saw-

 

She saw a pack of stymphs.

 

Amber was looking the other way, seemingly lost in thought.

 

The first one leapt.

 

"Amber!" Theresa cried, drawing her sword and allowing her finger to glow a brilliant golden color.

 

The witch spun and her eyes widened.

 

She dove to the side just as the stymph was about to grab her.

 

Theresa sprinted toward them, holding her training sword with one hand.

 

"Amber, watch out!"

 

Another stymph was dive bombing right at her and she let out a shout, rolling across the ground and getting a nasty cut on her arm from the styphm's bone claws.

 

Theresa slashed at the first and her sword got stuck in its ribs.

 

She grinned and pulled the sword free.

 

The stymph turned to her and its lack of eyes didn't stop it from looking at her fondly.

 

Theresa didn't care if the stymph looked at her like she was its mother or like she'd killed its mother.

 

All she cared about was stopping the stymph that had Amber pinned with one of its bony legs and had sunk its claws in.

 

Theresa shoved the first stymph to the side and thrust her sword against the thing's chest.

 

She knew that she wouldn't be able to actually impale it, so she just used the sword to unbalance it before she slammed full force into the enemy with her shield held in front of her like a battering ram.

 

The stymph squawked and looked at Theresa like she'd betrayed its trust, but she just turned to Amber, grabbing onto the witch's hand and hauling her to her feet.

 

Amber had cuts on both arms and was covered in mud from the how she had tussled with the stymph earlier.

 

The stymphs tried to get to Amber, but Theresa put herself between them, getting a cut on her leg.

 

She growled and glared at the stymph, brandishing her sword.

 

But the creatures seemed unwilling to hurt the Ever, instead trying to get to the Never she was holding behind her.

 

Theresa ended up kicking one stymph and stabbing her sword through another's rib cages, immobilizing it for a moment while she slammed her shield into another.

 

She drew her sword from the stymph and spun on her heel, slamming the brunt end of the sword against the stymph trying to sneak behind her and snatch Amber.

 

"I don't know about you, Amb, but I'm not feeling particularly welcome here with these guys."

 

Amber gaped at her.

 

"You're not the one they're trying to eat!"

 

Theresa raised an eyebrow, not allowing the distraction to stop her from ramming into another stymph with her foot.

 

"I thought we were a team. Wherever you aren't welcome, I'm not welcome."

 

Amber blushed and was about to respond, but she yelped and ducked as a stymph almost decapitated her.

 

"Do you trust me?" Theresa asked.

 

Amber knew she shouldn't.

 

That this was an Ever and that they really shouldn't even really be allies.

 

That she should be running away while the stupid princess saved her life.

 

But instead she found herself nodding without hesitation.

 

"Good, because you're going to have to," Theresa said.

 

And with that, she shoved Amber right into the middle of all the blood thirsty stymphs.

 

She looked over at Theresa with disbelief.

 

What did she do that for?!

 

These stymphs were going to eat her alive!

 

And yet...

 

And yet the stymphs looked between Amber and Theresa in confusion.

 

"That's right, Princess! Now to feed you to the stymphs!" Theresa said loudly, doing her best impression of an evil laugh.

 

Amber gaped at her for a moment before she held up her hands to defend herself from the stymphs.

 

The stymphs all looked between Theresa and Amber with confusion.

 

And then they attacked.

 

But it wasn't Amber they attacked.

 

It was Theresa.

 

The princess grinned and her sword was a whirlwind as she deflected attack after attack.

 

"Run!"

 

Amber finally understood.

 

Theresa had confused them.

 

They had seen Amber as the Never and Theresa as the Ever (as they obviously should).

 

But then Theresa had "betrayed" Amber's trust by shoving her into the middle of the stymphs. And then she attacked.

 

While Amber had trusted Theresa and and defended herself from the stymphs.

 

She had confused them by using the rules.

 

Amber almost ran at Theresa's cry, but then she saw one of them snap at the princess's hand and almost claim its target.

 

It was Amber's turn.

 

Her mice squeaked and scurried from her hair and trailed down her arms, leaping to the ground and growing in the air.

 

She couldn't make the mice as big as Anadil could make her rats, but they were almost the size of people as they rammed into the five remaining stymphs (out of the original ten, the five others being too injured to fight).

 

Theresa's eyes widened and she looked up as Amber's finger glowed a color that was between orange and gold.

 

She locked into the glow and smirked for just a second before she saw the giant mice that were squeaking and attacking the stymphs around her.

 

Theresa watched as the final five were injured and tackled by mice with amazement.

 

Her pristine blue eyes then landed on Amber.

 

Her lips curved into a smile and she walked over, the mice now shrinking and hurrying after the princess, jumping onto her legs and scurrying up her arms until they sat on her shoulder.

 

Theresa's fluffy blond hair tickled the mice's heads and Amber found herself wondering what it would be like to run her hand through that hair.

 

She blushed.

 

Theresa didn't seem to notice and she strode up to Amber, invading her person space more than Amber would have been comfortable with anyone else doing (not to say she was comfortable with Theresa being so close... no, that made her heart skip several beats and she thought it might just stop all together).

 

"Thanks," Theresa said with that same insufferable grin.

 

"You saved me first. Just repaying the debt."

 

"How about we just save each other?"

 

Amber gulped and nodded.

 

Behind them, unnoticed, a girl with pale white skin and bright red eyes sighed and rolled her eyes.

 

She took off into the forest, leaving her sister to do... whatever she was doing with Camelot's heir.


	36. Chapter 36

The wolves howl.

 

Serenity and Hilda were shoved into the blue forest.

 

Both took off in opposite directions, ignoring each other for the time being.

 

~

 

Dede looked up with wide eyes and hopped over to her clothes, mogrifying out of a bunny and dressing quickly before running off to where she was supposed to meet Serenity.

 

~

 

Hilda skidded into the clearing she was supposed to meet her sister (and Theresa but who cared about her?).

 

That's when she caught sight of the two standing less than a foot apart.

 

Amber was looking up at Theresa with her eyes half closed and her face visibly red.

 

Hilda rolled her eyes.

 

She had no idea what was going on between those two but she refused to be a part of it today.

 

She could easily go and find Milly.

 

That thought made the decision so much easier.

 

She would leave her sister here to weirdly interact with Theresa...

 

And she could go spend the Trial by Tale with Milly.

 

She felt like the arrangement was a win-win.

 

~

 

Milly wondered if Hilda had gone back on their alliance.

 

She was a Never...

 

But she just didn't think that the other girl would do that.

 

Suddenly, she could hear Goldy growling.

 

She looked up and raised her bow (a weapon her mothers had taught her to use in the future), but suddenly Goldy made a panting noise and a slurp sounded.

 

"Hey, I get it, you're happy to see me. But seriously get offa me, mutt," Hilda said with a laugh.

 

Milly grinned and stood, making her way over it where she could hear the other voice.

 

~

 

Theresa had more than a few cuts, but most of them were minor.

 

Amber turned and looked away from Theresa.

 

She didn't think she could take staring at her much longer.

 

"We should get going before the stymphs get up again."

 

Theresa frowned.

 

She had thought she could make her move...

 

But it turns out that now was not the time.

 

"Yeah, we should get going."

 

~

 

Serenity burst into the clearing, panting for breath.

 

She knew she was late.

 

She'd gotten hung up and had to disqualify some Never she didn't know.

 

It had been pretty easy.

 

Just a quick spell and she was begging for mercy.

 

She wasn't very brave.

 

She looked around the clearing until her gaze landed on a short form that was coming out of some trees.

 

She grinned and ran toward Dede.

 

She was okay.

 

She didn't look too hurt, just a few scratches, and she let out a breath of relief.

 

~

 

"Where's Amber?"

 

Hilda growled.

 

"She and Theresa are somewhere together. I don't know. They're acting so weird. Makes me nauseous."

 

Milly raised an eyebrow.

 

Her gray eyes sparkled with amusement.

 

"You mean romantic?"

 

Hilda's eyes widened and snapped to Milly.

 

"What?!"

 

Milly was laughing quietly now.

 

"They're being romantic. It's pretty clear that Amber and Theresa are flirting."

 

Hilda gaped at her.

 

"What?!"

 

Milly was really laughing now and Hilda tried not to look at her when she did.

 

It was rather distracting.

 

"Of course they're not flirting!"

 

Milly locked eyes with her and raised an eyebrow.

 

Hilda considered for a moment.

 

"They're flirting."

 

Hilda made a disgusted face.

 

"She has to like her?! Out of everyone she had to pick Theresa?! Why?!"

 

Milly shrugged and looked away.

 

"Feelings are weird."

 

Hilda felt her face heating up.

 

"Yeah. They are."

 

She turned away from Milly.

 

The really were weird.

 

~

 

Amber looked at Theresa as they made their way through the blue forest.

 

Her sister hadn't joined them and there was nothing they could do about it, so they just kept going.

 

Amber was limping slightly and she tried not to think about how she had gotten those injuries.

 

Of how Theresa had been willing to sacrifice her chance to win for Amber.

 

"Theresa, why did you save me?"

 

The princess glanced at her.

 

"I'm not going to leave my ally, my partner, to be attacked on her own. Like I said, your enemy is my enemy."

 

Amber nodded and felt herself trip over a root in her distraction.

 

Theresa caught her easily and their faces were inches away from each other.

 

Amber found that she couldn't breathe.

 

Amber saw that Theresa's eyes had wandered from Amber's own... to her lips.

 

She could hear her heart beating in her chest.

 

She wondered if...

 

She could take the chance.

 

Right now.

 

She could see if Theresa felt the same, see if...

 

But she chickened out.

 

She pushed herself to her feet and Theresa stared at her for a moment before turning away.

 

Theresa didn't pause for more than a second and she kept pace with Amber.

 

"So where are we going?"

 

"Thought you'd tell me considering you always have to be in charge."

 

Theresa laughed and Amber frowned at her.

 

"What?"

 

"You think I always have to be in charge? Well, take charge then, Amber. You think it's fun? Go ahead."

 

Amber stared at her.

 

"It's just peachy being the heir to the biggest kingdom in the Endless Woods. It's not like I have to practice every day so that I can get it just right when I'm the ruler. It's not like I have to consider every possible romantic partner I could have because they could be trying to get the crown or wouldn't be a strong ruler."

 

Amber fell silent and her heart ached.

 

A good leader.

 

She hadn't ever thought about that.

 

A part of her whispered that Theresa had said strong leader, not good.

 

"But I think I might have figured out the last category."

 

She was looking at Amber now and they had both stopped walking.

 

Theresa had that pretty grin again, the one that was half between a princess's beaming smile and prince's chivalrous smirk.

 

Amber found that her eyes had traveled from her pristine blue eyes to her lips and her heart was beating three times faster than normal.

 

She turned away, though she screamed at herself not to.

 

Amber started walking and Theresa followed after her.

 

The witch glanced at the princess and her heart was pounding.

 

Was she just imagining all this tension?!

 

Did Theresa feel it too?!

 

~

 

Dede walked by Serenity's side and felt... odd.

 

She had ever since she'd taken Nathan's handkerchief.

 

"Did you really do it?" Serenity asked.

 

"What?"

 

"Did you disqualify Nathan?"

 

Dede cracked a grin and she looked at her friend with a mischievous glint to her eyes.

 

"Of course."

 

Serenity felt her stomach fluttering.

 

"But I thought you had... a thing for Nathan."

 

Dede shrugged.

 

"He likes someone else."

 

Serenity glanced at Dede and tried to keep the blush from her cheeks.

 

"You're out of his league," Serenity said.

 

"You think so?"

 

Serenity nodded and turned away from the Never to keep from embarrassing herself.

 

Dede stared at her for a long moment before she broke into a grin and started to walk with a slight bounce in her step.

 

~

 

Axel has gotten three different competitors out, two being Nevers and one an Ever.

 

He could feel emotions rippling from the forestry behind him.

 

He jumped.

 

It was an overwhelming sense of emotion, as if the person was filled to the brim with confusing feelings.

 

He stood and stalked through the forest quietly, watching out for blue twigs that could easily snap underfoot.

 

After a moment, he could see them.

 

The emotions pulsed from the other student as they looked the other way, clearly focused on something else.

 

It took him only a moment to recognize who it was.

 

The short black hair with three mice running around it in gave her away.

 

It was Amber.

 

She was still radiating with emotion as if she was actually trying to call Axel to her.

 

She was looking into the forest with a slightly dazed look and Axel wondered where her sister could be.

 

But right now that didn't matter.

 

What mattered was that Amber was on her own and distracted.

 

This was his best chance.

 

And so he crept closer still.

 

~

 

Nicola's strategy hadn't been to stay in one place or wait for allies.

 

Hers had been constant movement and the disarming of any trap she saw.

 

There had even been one, clearly set up by a Never teacher, which had literally been a trap.

 

It was meant to catch you in a net.

 

Real original.

 

Not like they hadn't gone over detecting and creating those in class for a week.

 

She was sure that was why the teacher had chosen that trap, so that none of his students would fall for it.

 

Nicola had avoided mistwalkers (pretty easy to do considering they emitted a specific sound that anyone could lock onto if they were paying attention and not having lots of romantic situations with their allies) and had even taken care of a prince from her own class.

 

And a witch.

 

And a princess.

 

But that didn't matter.

 

She had even heard (and identified) talking tulips.

 

She could remember it with chilling clearness.

 

"NICOLA!"

 

She snapped her head up and easily recognized her father's voice.

 

"YOU LEFT ME!"

 

"NICOLA!"

 

This time it was Sophie.

 

"TELL ME THE TRUTH!"

 

Nicola had finally figured out they were talking tulips (after an embarrassingly long time of about fifteen seconds) and wondered what she could be hiding from Sophie

 

Nicola shook her head to clear it and tried not to think too much about Sophie's emerald green eyes and long blond hair.

 

But those weren't what had drawn her to Sophie.

 

It was her personality.

 

She could find anyone with green eyes and blond hair.

 

But she couldn't find someone who loved reading like she did (every Reader that was picked to come to the school had to love reading, it was a rule).

 

Or someone that was so hard to earn the loyalty of but would defend you to the death (she had to learn that in her own fairytale).

 

Or someone that was as snarky as Nicola was, always ready to pick a fight and would never back down once she had.

 

Or someone who was even more petty than Nicola was, which was almost impossible to find and somehow an ideal trait. She needed someone that could stand up to her and not back down whenever they fought.

 

And Sophie was all of those things.

 

Now would have been the perfect time to have a great romantic epiphany.

 

But Nicola would be damned if she would mess up this Trial by Tale for Sophie.

 

~

 

Sophie was sitting on a log, her leg bouncing in anticipation and worry.

 

"Dean Sophie, are you okay?" a small Never first year asked.

 

She jumped and tore her eyes away from the leaderboard.

 

"What? Oh, yes, I'm fine."

 

She could see the other dean looking at her with a raised eyebrow.

 

She ignored her and went back to watching the blue forest in hopes of finding Nicola with her eyes... even though she knew that she couldn't.

 

She took a deep breath and tried to pretend that everything was okay.

 

Even though she knew it wasn't.

 

~

 

"I heard what you did to that Never that attacked you," Hilda said quietly.

 

Milly looked up and smirked at her.

 

"Yeah, well, he should have dropped his kerchief earlier."

 

Hilda grinned, her red eyes sparking with excitement.

 

"Should have as soon as he saw you."

 

Milly blushed a bit and looked away.

 

~

 

Amber was waiting for Theresa.

 

She had insisted she scout out the cave that Amber had wanted to go to.

 

She thought there would be at least one Ever waiting out in there that they could eliminate.

 

But she was somewhat (completely) distracted by thoughts of Theresa.

 

She didn't hear the footsteps behind her and she couldn't see the boy underneath a snakeskin cloak.

 

When you were Sophie's nephew, you learned how to identify and use snakeskin, even if you were an Ever.

 

Theresa had a bad feeling in her stomach and she glanced over her shoulder nervously.


	37. Chapter 37

Theresa shrugged her shoulders uncomfortably and came out of the cave to look at Amber.

 

The girl looked up and she met dark flinty eyes, almost like she was looking into a black hole.

 

She felt a smile tug on her lips.

 

That always happened when she was with Amber.

 

But something still felt wrong.

 

That's when she saw it.

 

A small shimmering in the air.

 

Her eyes flew past Amber and locked on something that seemed... wrong.

 

Her finger was suddenly glowing a bright gold color and she pointed it at what was... wrong.

 

Shimmering.

 

She'd learned this from her aunt.

 

She had always harped on the use of snakeskin cloaks and being able to identify them, whether they were invisible already or not.

 

Theresa had always thought it was useless.

 

Looks like she was wrong.

 

She sent a great gust of wind that blew the snakeskin cloak right off of the intruder and pushed them back a good foot on the way.

 

She was met by Axel, his dark brown eyes wide and his finger glowing brightly.

 

Theresa's eyes narrowed.

 

Amber was confused for a moment and she looked over her shoulder, catching sight of Axel and jumping.

 

Was this a setup?!

 

Did Theresa lead her here to be played?!

 

Was she going to be attacked here by both of them?!

 

Axel pointed his finger glow at her and she dove to the side.

 

Her mice scurried down from her hair and went racing toward Axel.

 

Not a single one of them went in Theresa's direction.

 

She knew she shouldn't trust Theresa so much, that she was probably in on this with her brother, and yet...

 

She still did.

 

She allowed her finger to glow that bright orange color that, to the untrained eye, would have looked golden.

 

Axel watched with fear as Amber's mice grew until they were about his size.

 

He hurried a few feet back and raised his glowing finger.

 

But he was suddenly encased in air and lifted off of the ground.

 

He stared at Theresa with disbelief, clearly having thought that she would be on his side.

 

Amber froze for a moment and looked at the girl with just as much disbelief.

 

Theresa had a calm, dispassionate look on her face.

 

As calculating as any king or queen Amber had ever met (more so than Tedros).

 

"You said that you didn't want any help," Theresa said.

 

Her voice was cold and unemotional.

 

Axel flinched.

 

"You want to prove yourself."

 

He nodded.

 

Theresa glanced at Amber and suddenly she realized that... that Theresa was looking to her for guidance.

 

But in that moment Axel's finger glowed brightly and the air surrounding him disappeared.

 

He fell about three feet before he struck the ground.

 

Amber's mice surrounded him and he held his finger like a weapon.

 

Theresa was still looking at Amber as if she wanted to know what the other girl's answer to her question was.

 

But Amber didn't know her question.

 

And yet...

 

And yet she did.

 

She wanted to know if she should drop her brother's handkerchief.

 

Amber's mice still for a moment and the witch controlling them suddenly felt herself faced with a moral question.

 

She had never faced one before.

 

She was a Never for a reason and she didn't know how to deal with this.

 

But suddenly she understood.

 

Theresa didn't want to.

 

But Axel hadn't attacked her, he had attacked Amber.

 

And so it wasn't Theresa's decision to make.

 

Amber's first thought was to drop the handkerchief (and perhaps cast a few spells first to send a message).

 

But then she looked into those pristine blue eyes and, for what felt like the first time in her life, she saw things from Theresa's eyes.

 

This was her brother.

 

But he wanted to prove he didn't need her.

 

Amber had to make the call.

 

And whatever she said, Theresa would do.

 

Because there were two reasons Amber had to decide.

 

Theresa couldn't spare Axel herself, because he would see it as having her help and whatever he did would be for naught.

 

Amber stood there for a long moment.

 

She still wanted to do her original plan.

 

But she knew that would upset Theresa and, she realized, she couldn't do it.

 

She stared into Theresa's eyes and recalled her mice.

 

"Go," Amber snapped in her best villain voice.

 

Axel's finger was still glowing and his eyes were also looking into Theresa's.

 

But the princess wasn't looking at him.

 

She was looking at Amber.

 

He disappeared into the forest and left the two alone.

 

"Thank you."

 

Amber felt her face heat up.

 

She looked away from those beautiful blue eyes and gulped.

 

"No problem. We're allies, right?"

 

Theresa nodded, but she had that insufferable smirk on her lips still.

 

Amber wanted nothing more than to wipe that smirk off her face.

 

With her own lips.

 

She colored and looked away, watching where Axel had run.

 

She didn't notice how close Theresa was until she could hear the other girl's calm, even breaths and smell her minty scent.

 

She swallowed and turned to see Theresa looking at her with that same expression she'd had all day... except somehow more so.

 

She felt her gaze slipping from those eyes to her lips...

 

But there was a loud noise to the side in the trees and Amber felt like screaming.

 

But instead she raised her glowing finger.

 

One would almost think it was an even brighter shade of orange.

 

Didn't it start out at an almost red shade?!

 

What happened?!

 

Why was it sneaking closer and closer to yellow?

 

To gold.

 

The color of Theresa's finger which was raised right beside her own.

 

~

 

Nathan saw sparks in the air and looked up.

 

He could see Axel standing there, his eyes locked on the ground and his shoulders slump.

 

He rushed to the boy, looking for any injuries.

 

There were a few scrapes and bruises, but overall the boy looked fine.

 

Not at all like he should have dropped his handkerchief.

 

And yet he was here.

 

~

 

Axel had run off with his eyes wide and his heart feeling heavy.

 

He had been spared, but not by his sister.

 

His own sister had been prepared to drop his kerchief at Amber's command.

 

But Amber had been the one to spare him.

 

Axel started to reflect on his behavior this Trial by Tale.

 

He had been doing well, eliminating the competition with a sort of cold calculating precision that frankly reminded him of his aunt.

 

It chilled him to his bones.

 

He had snuck up and stolen handkerchiefs to throw them to the ground.

 

He had set traps for his fellow competitors.

 

He had been about to take Amber's kerchief.

 

They'd been friends since before he could remember (even if their relationship was a tad bit contentious).

 

And he had been willing to do it without a second thought because he didn't see Hilda.

 

He had even been planning to find Hilda afterwards and drop hers as well.

 

Axel had done well this Trial by Tale, yes, but he hadn't done Good.

 

He hadn't acted like an Ever.

 

He felt dirty and he was ashamed of his own actions.

 

He pulled his handkerchief from his pocket and ran it between his fingers, staring at the blindingly white silken cloth.

 

He ran his fingers over it reverently.

 

Axel didn't deserve to win.

 

Not after having been spared and what he had done earlier.

 

Those were actions more suitable of a Never.

 

And Axel wanted to win the Trial by Tale.

 

Desperately so, actually.

 

He wanted to tell his father that he had done such a thing.

 

But he didn't want to win like this.

 

He wanted to win, but he wanted to win as an Ever, as a son of the King of Camelot.

 

He hadn't done that name justice.

 

The handkerchief slipped from his fingers and he closed his eyes, at peace with his decision.

 

Next year he would do better.

 

He would compete like an Ever.

 

And that meant he might not win, or even last too long.

 

But there were more important things than winning and he knew that now.

 

The cloth fell toward the ground and Axel found himself smiling.

 

It didn't matter if he won or was the first person to get out next time.

 

All that mattered was that he competed in an Ever way.

 

A way that would make his father proud of him.

 

And he may not have competed that way this year, but he had ended it like an Ever.

 

And that was enough for him.

 

The handkerchief hit the ground and the world around him disappeared in a blinding haze of white sparks.

 

When he reappeared in the clearing, he opened his eyes and he smile was still there.

 

He had done the right thing.

 

He saw that Nathan was running toward him, but he didn't care at the moment.

 

Right now he turned to look at the blue forest.

 

"Good luck," he whispered, thinking of his sister.

 

He had done what he should.

 

~

 

The Evers and Nevers watch in surprise as Nathan comforts Axel.

 

The first years hadn't been through the war like the fourth years and are surprised to see Evers and Nevers being so close.

 

They were as continuous as the fourth years had been back then.

 

And they all watched as the third Ever in school sat down beside the Never and they talked quietly like (very) close friends.

 

They reasoned that Axel was a very odd Ever that shouldn't be so high in the rankings and that Nathan was the same for the Nevers.

 

They said that real Evers and Nevers would never do such a thing.

 

But there were not looks back and forth from the Ever and Never sides of the clearing.

 

~

 

Hilda could see the bright white sparks in the air and she grinned.

 

She wondered who it could have been, but she couldn't see the leaderboard from here.

 

Milly has a small, somewhat devious grin on her face as well.

 

It made Hilda's stomach feel all weird when she looked at it.

 

"Who do you think it was?" Milly asked.

 

"My guess would be Axel. That boy is always up to something."

 

Milly laughed and slapped Hilda's arm playfully.

 

It wasn't a hard hit in any sense, but for some reason Hilda could still feel where the other girl had touched her and it felt like a weird tingling had set into where her palm had touched Hilda's bicep.

 

She swallowed and looked away from those storm cloud eyes.

 

"Be nice!"

 

Hilda chanced a glance at her and smirked.

 

"I think you of all people should know that isn't exactly in my vocabulary."

 

Milly laughed and Hilda looked away before she could be distracted by the giggling that sounded almost like ringing bells.

 

It was... a sound that was not entirely unpleasant.

 

~

 

Serenity saw the sparks now ten feet from them.

 

Dede jumped and grabbed onto Serenity's arm, holding tight and pulling the Ever closer.

 

She gulped and looked down at the Never.

 

Dede didn't seem to notice just how her touched made Serenity's heart hammer in her chest.

 

"I'm sure it was just a trap," Serenity whispered, but they were already making their way away from where the sparks had been.

 

~

 

Amber saw the sparks first and she poked Theresa with her finger, pointing at them.

 

Theresa had a mixed expression on her face.

 

It was impossible to read.

 

She thought there was a hint of joy and sorrow mixed together as well as pride and confusion.

 

Amber didn't understand it at all.

 

She didn't know why Evers had to be so dramatic.

 

She always preferred the company of her fellow Nevers.

 

But Nevers didn't have grins like Theresa's.

 

Nevers didn't have any among their ranks that could make her heart skip a beat like Theresa could.

 

And so, she supposed, she has to make an exception.

 

~

 

Nicola looked up at the sparks and rolled her eyes.

 

She wondered if an Ever had gotten caught in one of the Never teacher's traps.

 

And she also found herself wondering if Sophie has set that trap.

 

And that thought led her to think of the traps that Sophie had warned her about.

 

She had made those traps, obviously.

 

And... they were quite clever.

 

Nicola had to admit it.

 

And she also had to admit that it made her heart beat a bit faster to think that Sophie didn't want her to get trapped.

 

She growled and shoved all thoughts that had anything to do with the blond Never out of her mind.

 

It seemed that every time she did that it got harder, however.

 

A troubling thought, that.


	38. Chapter 38

Theresa glanced at Amber and smiled.

 

She bumped Amber's shoulder as they walked.

 

"You were nice to me," she said with a smirk.

 

Amber blushed.

 

"Don't get used to it," she responded.

 

Theresa grinned.

 

"I think I am," she said, bumping her shoulder again.

 

Amber grumbled and looked down, letting her dark hair cover her face to hide her embarrassment.

 

~

 

Hilda could see the sun was close to coming up.

 

She let herself smile slightly and she glanced at Milly.

 

"Mil, did you hear that?"

 

Milly looked up and frowned in confusion.

 

"Hear what?"

 

Hilda didn't respond and kept listening.

 

Milly opened her mouth to respond.

 

Hilda could hear and she clamped a hand over Milly's mouth.

 

The princess stared at her and blushed slightly.

 

Hilda strained her ears, trying to hear what she had earlier.

 

~

 

Serenity didn't seem it coming.

 

She didn't know how she could have, either.

 

She didn't know how to expect a raid of monstrous creatures she'd never seen before that looked like a mix between bears, wolves, and goats.

 

And Serenity might be great at magic, but she could still be taken by surprise.

 

And so when these creatures leapt from the shadows from every direction, she was suitably shocked.

 

She gaped and stumbled back, pushing Dede behind her.

 

The first... thing slashed out and easily cut through her cost, slicing her arm.

 

She let out a loud curse, grunting in pain.

 

Her finger glowed bright neon pink and she prepared to fight-

 

But she didn't have the chance.

 

"DON'T TOUCH SERENITY!" Dede shouted, suddenly standing tall.

 

Her voice no longer had a jovial undertone and her demeanor was anything but pleasant.

 

Her normally warn chocolate brown eyes (always so inviting and calming to look into) were more like a raging inferno now.

 

The beasts stopped in their tracks and stared at Dede.

 

Her finger glowed brilliantly and she let out a wordless cry of rage.

 

Power exploded out of her and slammed against the beasts.

 

Five were turned into chocolate where they stood and another five were sinking into a hot chocolate quick sand she had just made.

 

Serenity knew she should be helping, but Dede was just so...

 

Breathtaking.

 

The way her eyes blazed was just...

 

Serenity has always thought that Dede's quiet and cheerful demeanor was calming and soothing, an attractive trait.

 

But now she found that she liked this just as much... if not more.

 

She liked the way Dede created hot mocha that rained down from above and burned the creatures to ashes where they stood.

 

She liked the way Dede howled with rage and the wind seemed to howl along with her, as if the elements themselves were at her beckon call.

 

Dede took out countless beasts and by the time she was done she had nothing but a few scratches.

 

But she was panting from exhaustion and she turned to face Serenity with a calm, beautiful smile.

 

"Are you okay?"

 

Serenity nodded wordlessly, not trusting her voice at the moment.

 

Dede held out a hand and pulled Serenity to her feet.

 

She giggled at the disbelief on Serenity's face.

 

"I'm a Never for a reason," Dede said.

 

She said it as if that explained the tornado of fury and destruction she had just become in the blink of an eye.

 

As if that explained her transformation from the sweetest girl Serenity had ever met to a diabolical, calculating machine.

 

Serenity blushed.

 

How could she do both?!

 

She wasn't sure.

 

How could she be so kind and sweet and generous... but then someone angered her and...

 

It was like she was a whole other person.

 

Dede giggled again.

 

"Close your mouth before you let the flies in. Now come on, we need to get out of here."

 

Serenity closed her mouth with a click.

 

Dede grabbed onto her wrist and pulled her out of the clearing.

 

Serenity never wanted to have Dede turn that destructive power on her...

 

But she found that she certainly wouldn't mind if she could see it again.

 

In fact, the idea made her heart hammer in her chest and her knees grow weak.

 

Dede thought that Serenity's somewhat unbalanced state was due to the creatures and her eyes flashed with dark intent.

 

"Did they hurt you?"

 

Serenity almost wanted to say yes to see what the other girl would do about it.

 

But she kept her mouth shut and shook her head.

 

Dede brightened and grinned so broadly at her that her eyes crinkled at the sides.

 

"Good!"

 

She continued to pull Serenity out of the clearing.

 

"Come on, slowpoke! People would have heard all that racket!"

 

Serenity shook her head to clear it and started to walk faster, trying to regain her mental capabilities.

 

But it was rather hard with Dede's hand still grasping her wrist.

 

~

 

The Evers and Nevers continued to sit or stand on complete opposite sides of the clearing and not look at each other.

 

But Nathan and Axel were sitting together at the center of both groups, both rather worried about heir friends that were still competing.

 

Neither school seemed to want to bridge the gap, both seeming intent on keeping up the hate and animosity between them.

 

Just because those two in the middle were friends didn't mean anything.

 

But sparks shot up in the air and both of them were on their feet in seconds, sprinting to where the competitors were supposed to show once they were eliminated.

 

~

 

Serenity knew there was a weird scent in the air, but she was rather distracted with thoughts of Dede.

 

She had no idea what to call angry Dede.

 

She considered for a moment before she decided on Darth Dede.

 

She tried not to think about how amazing Darth Dede was and how it made her heart stop when she remembered the way she had done all of that to protect Serenity.

 

Serenity had always known she was technically a princess.

 

She attended the School for Good and was called one all of the time.

 

But she had never felt like one before.

 

That is until Dede had protected her back there.

 

The way she had rained down flaming chocolate and used her rather peaceful talent to wage war on everyone around them.

 

The smell intensified and Serenity held in a yawn, her eyes watering slightly.

 

She looked over at Dede and saw the other girl was doing the same.

 

She frowned and sniffed the air.

 

Her eyes shot open, even as her arms started to feel heavy and her feet slowed.

 

She should have recognized it earlier.

 

The smell.

 

It was the scent of sleeping willows.

 

"Run!" she said, although she knew it was far too late.

 

She was already yawning when she said it and she could see Dede doing the same.

 

"We have... to stay strong...," Serenity said, but she was already weakening.

 

She grabbed onto Dede's hand and tried to pull the other girl along, but soon they were both stumbling toward the soft, warm ground.

 

Serenity yawned and pulled Dede closer, trying to keep going.

 

But all that accomplished was making the two of them fall over side by side and pulling them very close.

 

If Serenity had been in any other situation, she would have been freaking out at the close proximity to Dede, but instead she just curled a bit closer and closed her eyes.

 

Dede did the same and soon the two of them were asleep, resting right under the sleeping willows.

 

Small roots reached out and, as dictated by the spell, removed the handkerchiefs that were in the girl's pockets.

 

They disappeared.

 

~

 

Nathan skidded to a stop as he saw the two that had been eliminated.

 

Sure, he had seen both white and red sparks and had known that these two were working together...

 

But that didn't prepare him for the sight before him.

 

Serenity was holding Dede tightly and she pulled her closer, grumbling something tiredly.

 

Dede has Serenity's arms wrapped around her and her head was nestled in Serenity's neck.

 

Every breath she took gently blew against Serenity's short fluffy blond hair.

 

Nathan stopped at gaped at them.

 

Everyone in the clearing did.

 

Not only were they both asleep, but they were laying together.

 

A Never and an Ever.

 

The two different school's students looked at each other and then back at Dede and Serenity.

 

They were both rather high ranked in their schools (well, Dede was pretty high and Serenity was ranked first in Good).

 

And they were both laying together like they were best friends... or perhaps more.

 

There was suddenly loud, outraged speaking.

 

Serenity and Dede stirred.

 

The former was the first up and, upon seeing how close they were, jumped and pulled away with a bright red tint to her cheeks.

 

Dede was slower to wake up and she stretched, scratching her neck and slowly sitting up.

 

"What," she paused to yawn, "happened?"

 

Serenity forced the blush to fade from her face, but it was a work in progress.

 

"Sleeping willows," she said simply, shoving herself to her feet.

 

She held out her hand for Dede and the other girl took it, allowing herself to be hauled to her feet.

 

She gave Serenity a wide grin.

 

The blond felt her heart speed up.

 

They looked over and saw that everyone was staring at them.

 

"What?" Dede asked, still holding onto Serenity's hand and not seeming to notice it in the slightest.

 

Serenity, however, felt heat creeping up her neck and she kept her gaze anywhere but at their hands.

 

The Evers and Nevers gaped at them as if Hey hadn't just broken the cardinal rule of both schools.

 

They shrugged and Dede led Serenity to the middle of the clearing.

 

They sat down (well, Dede sat down and that pulled Serenity down with her despite her shock and embarrassment) and put her head on Serenity's shoulder.

 

Nathan and Axel joined them a minute later.

 

Axel gave Serenity a thumbs up and she tried not to fidget under Dede's embrace.

 

Soon, Nathan was complaining about how he had been eliminated.

 

Dede started giggling, but then it turned into a full blown witch cackle and she threw her head back, a bit awkward as she kept her head on Serenity's shoulder.

 

Nathan stared at her.

 

"Oh, that was me," she said as if it was no big deal.

 

Nathan gaped at her and Serenity stared at Dede with new eyes.

 

She really was a Never... and Serenity found she had never liked the other girl more.

 

She was falling for her even more and that made her want to scream and hit her head against the wall.

 

~

 

Nicola looked up at the simultaneous red and white sparks.

 

She snickered.

 

They'd fallen for the sleeping willows.

 

Someone would have to be pretty distracted not to notice that smell.

 

She could hear howls in the distance, but they definitely weren't wolf howls.

 

She tried not to think about what those creatures could be and kept on her way through the forest, not slowing down.

 

~

 

Sophie was equal parts relieved and disappointed that the white sparks didn't belong to Nicola.

 

She wanted to know the other girl was alright, but she also wanted to see her do well in the Trial...

 

Feelings sucked.

 

Sophie kicked a rock and continued to petulantly sulk where she sat.

 

Students steered clear of her.

 

That was a wise decision considering the fact that she had almost torn the head off of the last student to come within five feet of her, though nobody was sure why.

 

~

 

Hilda glanced up and checked the leaderboard.

 

She was shocked to say the least.

 

She saw that her sister was still competing... and so was the princess that she had been (Hilda almost barfed as she thought the next word) flirting with.

 

And Nicola.

 

Those three plus her and Milly... that made five of them left.

 

Her red eyes gleamed with mischief and Milly glanced at her with a small smile.

 

This was going to be a fun end to the Trial by Tale.


	39. Chapter 39

Theresa was leaning on a tree and watching the sparks that had appeared in the air not thirty seconds before.

 

Red and white side by side.

 

She had glanced at the leaderboard and been surprised her cousin was out so quickly.

 

But she still had to deal with Aunt Nic, which was obviously going to be a problem.

 

She was brilliant and made Theresa feeling like a halfwit whenever they spoke.

 

She probably already knew where she and Amber were and had a plan to eliminate them that had probably commenced half and hour ago and was just biding its time before it came to fruition.

 

Amber seemed less concerned with Nicola and more worried about her sister.

 

"There's a reason she didn't come to meet up with us, I just don't know what it is," Amber mused.

 

Theresa refrained from pointing out that it might be because she planned to make her move before the end of this Trial.

 

Just then, sparks erupted from the sky.

 

Amber and Theresa locked eyes and tried their hardest to get a sight of the leaderboard.

 

After a moment, Amber just growled and stalked over.

 

"Give me a boost," she said.

 

Theresa frowned in confusion and stared at Amber.

 

She growled and tried not to focus on the heat that was seeping up from her neck and into her cheeks.

 

"I said give me a boost, Theresa," she snapped.

 

The princess was slow at first, but suddenly her face erupted into a grin and she scooped Amber up, throwing her onto her shoulders.

 

Amber instantly regretted it as she tried to balance herself on Theresa's shoulders by putting her hand on her head.

 

She completely forgot why she was up there for a moment and instead was distracted by the other girl.

 

She had always wondered what the girl's fluffy, bouncy hair would feel like... she would never admit it, but she'd daydreamed about it before.

 

Her imagination could never have come up with this.

 

It was a bit dirty from the fights, but it was still incredibly soft and it felt like she had her hand on a puppy's head.

 

"Can you see it?" Theresa asked, smirking.

 

Amber blushed and turned to try and catch sight of the leaderboard over the numerous trees that surrounded them.

 

She squinted and her eyes widened.

 

"Yeah, I can see it."

 

"Who was disqualified?"

 

Amber opened her mouth to respond, but she was interrupted by a loud, almost feral sounding howl.

 

But it was still a weirdly, achingly familiar sound.

 

"It's-"

 

~

 

Nicola leaned against a tree and tried not to draw attention to herself.

 

She had climbed the closest tree to her and she was watching with baited breath as two figures walked beneath her.

 

She frowned in confusion as she saw that they were an Ever and Never, both walking close together and whispering.

 

She struggled to remember the names.

 

One was a twin and she always got those two mixed up... even though they looked nothing alike.

 

But the other was a princess and she had two great golden wolfhounds on either side of her that sniffed the air.

 

One of them glanced at the tree she was hiding in, but then it kept walking after only a moment of consideration.

 

She let out a breath of relief and waited a few moments before she started to climb down the trunk of the great blue oak tree she had been clinging to for dear life.

 

~

 

Sophie saw sparks and her eyes widened.

 

She couldn't tell the color from so far and she shot to her feet, preparing to sprint toward the door where the competitor (or competitors, she hadn't been too sure) would appear.

 

~

 

Milly glanced over her shoulder and frowned at a tree, getting an odd feeling from it for inexplicable reasons.

 

But she tore her gaze from it and hurried up so she could keep pace with Hilda.

 

They were heading toward... somewhere.

 

She wasn't sure anymore.

 

She knew the blue forest pretty well, but she had long since lost her sense of direction in this place after being in here for hours on end.

 

It was frustrating, but she decided that she could trust Hilda to lead them through the forest (even though she was about ninety-nine percent sure the other girl had no idea where they were headed or where they were and was just headed in some random direction with a false sense of confidence... it made her smile fondly and even almost laugh).

 

They stepped into a small clearing.

 

It was nice and the blue grass paired well with the small river that flowed just a few feet away from them.

 

Milly grinned and let herself heave a sigh of relief.

 

She get somehow... at peace here.

 

Hilda, however, seemed on edge and she looked around as if expecting an ambush.

 

There was a brilliant melody floating through the air and Milly frowned for a moment before she felt herself pulled toward it.

 

"Mil, what are you doing?"

 

But Hilda's voice sounded far away and didn't seem important.

 

Which was odd considering she was usually hanging onto every word that Hilda said.

 

The music picked up when she glanced at the Never and she found her eyes drawn back to the beautiful shimmering river.

 

Hilda was walking beside her and giving her a concerned look.

 

"Mil... Milly? Milly, are you okay?"

 

Hilda waved her hand in front of Milly's face and she didn't even notice as she was compelled to the water's side.

 

Before she knew what was happening, she was knelt by the water's edge with her hand dipped right into the river.

 

Hilda knelt down beside her with a confused, and surprisingly worried, expression on her face.

 

The music grew louder and it drowned out (puns) anything Hilda could say.

 

Milly realized then that the music was coming from the water.

 

Such an odd thing, but Milly didn't seem to consider that before she unceremoniously dove her head underwater.

 

"MILLY!"

 

Hilda grabbed Milly by the shoulders and pulled her out of the water forcefully, looking the other girl up and down for any injuries.

 

Milly didn't even notice the cut on her right forearm.

 

Hilda certainly did, however, and she hissed our a breath.

 

Milly didn't notice that either and pushed herself up, intent on making her way back to the water.

 

"Milly, are you crazy?! Something in the water attacked you!"

 

Milly shoved against Hilda's grasp and tried to pull herself to the water.

 

Hilda grabbed her again and hauled her backwards.

 

"Mil, what are you doing?!"

 

"The music... the music, can't you hear it? It's so pretty, Hil," Milly whispered, her eyes locked on the water.

 

Hilda suddenly remembered what this was.

 

Right as a form, dark as night, rose from the water.

 

It was all dark except for its eyes that glowed a dangerous violet color.

 

"Mil, it's a asumder!"

 

She didn't know much about it, but she was aware that it was often considered the anti-stymph that lured Evers to the water with beautiful music and then drowned them.

 

Her grip on Milly tightened and she clutched the other girl like her own life depended upon it.

 

"Mil, wake up!"

 

But she knew that Evers, once under the affect of the asumder, could only be awoken with one of two things. One, they could have the spell reversed (with another spell that Hilda had never learned because she didn't think she would ever need it... man was she kicking herself now) or to be over a mile away from it.

 

But the asumder was advancing and Milly was struggling with all her might to get to the water spirit.

 

"Mil, no!"

 

She could see Milly's wolfhound creeping closer, their canine eyes glazed just like hers.

 

Hilda suddenly remembered something else.

 

Animals could also be affected by the siren's call.

 

And that meant that her wolfhounds... were in grave danger.

 

Hilda knew there was only one way she could save all three of them.

 

She had to get the handkerchief in Milly's pocket.

 

When Milly disappeared, her wolfhounds would too.

 

They had been drawn in with her, so that would draw them out.

 

It was the only way that she could save all three of them.

 

But Hilda wanted nothing more than to keep Milly by her side.

 

But Milly loved those wolfhounds like nothing else.

 

She couldn't let them die.

 

She tackled Milly to the ground and went through her pockets, trying her hardest to locate the handkerchief.

 

She glanced up and could see the wolfhounds getting closer and closer.

 

She let out a loud howl of frustration and rage.

 

Then she saw it.

 

The white handkerchief.

 

She snatched it and slammed it to the ground triumphantly.

 

Milly was about to disappear when suddenly the spell broke.

 

She was in the middle of teleporting, which meant she was half with Hilda and half in the clearing, at least a mile and a half away.

 

That meant she was far enough that she was far enough for the music to have stopped affecting her.

 

She was only there for a moment, but her gray eyes suddenly grew wide with understanding and she looked into Hilda's bright red eyes.

 

"Thank you," she was able to say, just before she and her wolfhounds disappeared.

 

Hilda fell to the ground, letting out a sigh of relief and running a hand through her white and green hair.

 

She had saved Milly and her wolfhounds.

 

But she had also lost Milly, her only ally.

 

She let out another howl of rage and slammed her fist on the ground.

 

~

 

"It's Milly."

 

Theresa nodded slightly and there was suddenly another howl of anger.

 

Suddenly, Amber recognizes it.

 

It was Hilda.

 

Her eyes widened in fear and she felt her heart constricting painfully in her chest.

 

Was... was her sister going to be okay?

 

Theresa seemed to understand what she was thinking and she tightened her grip on Amber's calf in an attempt to comfort her.

 

Theresa took a moment before she swung Amber down and held her in her arms.

 

She set her down gently and Amber tried not to blush.

 

"You know... I could have just climbed the tree."

 

Amber felt her face go beet red.

 

Theresa was smirking and she was standing incredibly close to Amber.

 

She could smell the minty scent she knew belonged to the other girl and she could remember running her hand through Theresa's hair just a few moments ago.

 

She gulped.

 

Theresa was a few inches taller than her and she knew she couldn't reach Theresa's lips without either going up on her tiptoes or pulling the other girl down.

 

In her daze, she found herself thinking that she would rather pulling the other girl down, to save her image that is (but she really wouldn't mind if Theresa just grabbed her again like she had a moment ago and lifted her high enough to connect their lips without much effort).

 

Amber realized what she was thinking and her heart almost started beating out of her chest.

 

She looked away from those pristine blue eyes and cherry red lips.

 

Theresa almost growled in frustration.

 

If Amber kept ruining the moment, she wasn't going to have the chance to make her move during the Trial by Tale!

 

It was rather inconsiderate of the other for to keep doing such a thing.

 

Theresa had been working very hard to set the mood the whole time, but Amber seemed to be simultaneously playing along and being far too terrified to actually let the plan succeed.

 

Theresa put a smile on her face anyways and followed Amber down a small hill.

 

She could wait a bit longer... and the flustered look on Amber's face was quite amusing.

 

Amber was taking deep breaths and trying to gather her courage for the next time they had a rather romantic moment (at least she thought they were romantic... oh no what if Theresa didn't?! She shoved that thought down mercilessly as it was not helping).

 

She intended to go through with it next time.

 

She was going to kiss that stupid, annoying, beautiful, perfect princess if it killed her!


	40. Chapter 40

Theresa could see that Amber was still worried.

 

Not because she displayed the typical symptoms of worry.

 

No, Amber had far too much of Hester in her to do that.

 

She looked angry and stalked down the path as if she was looking for an excuse to hurt something (or someone) along the way.

 

Theresa had been silent for a while as she walked beside the other girl.

 

She waited for her to say something, to admit that she was worried for her sister, but of course she didn't.

 

Theresa knew she was jumping on a grenade here, but right now it seemed as if she was saving everyone in the blue forest from Amber's eventual explosion.

 

"I'm sure Hilda's okay."

 

Amber whipped her head around and scowled at Theresa.

 

"And what makes you say that?" she hissed.

 

Theresa grinned.

 

"She has to be pretty scrappy if she's related to you."

 

Amber glared for a long moment before her lips twitched in amusement.

 

She turned on her heel and muttered something about stupid princesses.

 

"Yeah, but I'm your stupid princess," Theresa said with that same stork plastered on her face.

 

Amber blushed bright red and she looked anywhere but at Theresa.

 

"I don't even care where Hilda is. She's probably the one that disqualified Milly anyways."

 

Theresa raised an eyebrow.

 

"Why would she do that?"

 

"Because she's a Never and Milly's an Ever."

 

"But you're still working with me," Theresa pointed out.

 

"You even saved me from the stymphs. You could have just kept running."

 

Amber deliberated on her response for a moment.

 

"That's different."

 

Theresa smirked.

 

"And why is that?" she asked innocently.

 

Amber shrugged her shoulders uncomfortably as if there was an itch between its blades that she couldn't scratch.

 

"Whatever, Theresa."

 

The princess didn't intend to let this go, and under normal circumstances she certainly wouldn't have until she had Amber blushing and grumbling incoherently, but she made herself when she saw a momentary expression of worry grace Amber's face.

 

"Well, you don't care, but I'm sure she's okay anyways," Theresa said, trying not to laugh at the absurdity of the words.

 

Amber shrugged again.

 

"She's self sufficient, resilient, and smart. Just like her sister."

 

Amber looked down and allowed her hair to fall in front of her face to cover the red tint it had just acquired.

 

Theresa wondered if she was getting close to the perfect moment to make her move.

 

She was pretty sure she was, but she had also thought they'd had at least five perfect moments which Amber had ruined.

 

But Theresa was determined.

 

And when Theresa stood her ground, mountains were put to shame by her stubborn immobility.

 

She'd gotten that from both her pigheaded parents.

 

Theresa could hear running water nearby and a low, melodic tone came through the trees.

 

Her head turned and her eyes wandered to where she assumed the sound was originating.

 

She didn't even realize that she had stopped short.

 

Not until Amber frowned and jogged back to look at her.

 

"Theresa? Theresa, what are you doing?"

 

Her tone was sharp and a bit angry, but Theresa knew that was the voice she used when she didn't want to admit she was worried.

 

But for once that didn't seem very important as she stared into the forestry.

 

Amber snapped in her face and Theresa flinched slightly, glancing down at the other girl.

 

"Come on, we need to going."

 

Amber turned to walk off and almost didn't notice that Theresa was still looking at the forest.

 

She turned and stalked back up to Theresa.

 

She snatched onto the Ever's hand and tugged her away from the trees with several muttered words.

 

"Stupid Evers."

 

She pulled harder on Theresa's hand.

 

"Try to get their attention and they try to go running off into the words."

 

She glanced back and saw that Theresa was still looking at the trees.

 

"Wonder if she can hear a princess calling out for help in her tower miles away."

 

Amber frowned at that, feeling a huge wave of jealousy filling her.

 

She quickened their pace and Theresa almost fell.

 

At that, the princess finally whipped her head around and frowned in confusion.

 

"Where are we?"

 

"The Trial by Tale!" Amber snapped with a sullen look back at her.

 

But when she caught sight of the dazed and confused look on Theresa's face, she frowned.

 

"What happened?"

 

Theresa shook her head, making her fluffy blond hair hit her in the face gently... Theresa didn't notice and somehow Amber realized that she was more aware of the princess's hair than she herself was and it made her blush in embarrassment.

 

"Didn't you hear it?"

 

Amber frowned at her.

 

Theresa was silent for a moment and Amber kept pulling her onward, suddenly wanting to get the princess as far away as possible from whatever she had heard.

 

"I think it was an asumder!" Theresa said suddenly.

 

Amber turned back for a moment and saw that Theresa was still looking at the forestry that was now at least fifty feet behind them.

 

She wondered if she would have to slap the other girl to get her out of this haze.

 

But Theresa forced her eyes away from the forest and looked back at Amber.

 

She grinned.

 

"Thanks. I owe you one."

 

It was then that Amber realized she was still holding Theresa's hand and they were standing less than a foot apart.

 

She flushed red and tried not to stare.

 

Theresa took a small step, her sword bouncing against her thigh.

 

Usually she kept a hand on it when she walked... but Amber knew that said hand was currently in her own.

 

Theresa didn't even seem to care...

 

In fact, she glanced down at their hands for an split second and then back at Amber's eyes.

 

The witch swallowed and felt the urge to lean up and finally do as she wished, to pull the other girl into a breathtaking kiss.

 

But again she chickened out and reluctantly let go of Theresa's hand before turning around and continuing to walk away from the music Theresa had been so enraptured in.

 

~

 

Hilda sighed and lowered her head.

 

She had to let Milly go.

 

But she could still do her best.

 

In honor of Milly.

 

She stood and prepared to head into the forest.

 

But a low melodic sound froze her mid-step.

 

She turned around and could see the water spirit (more commonly referred to as an asumder) staring at her.

 

It no longer looked like a darkly cloaked almost evil creature, but instead like an angel.

 

It glowed with an ethereal light and the music emanating from it was like none she had ever heard.

 

A part of her knew what was happening.

 

A part of her screamed to run and never look back.

 

A part of her screamed that the asumder shouldn't be able to affect her.

 

But that part was drowned out by the music that the water spirit sang.

 

She took a step forward and neared the creature with wide eyes.

 

The asumder was beaming at her, a beautiful sight to see.

 

She could hear voices behind her, but she didn't care.

 

She didn't even care that a small part of her whispered that she could call for help, that she thought she should know those voices.

 

That one of them was...

 

But then the water spirit was right there in front of her and smiling.

 

It reached out and she melted under its touch.

 

She didn't even notice as it leapt for her boot and pulled the out handkerchief hidden within.

 

The water spirit dropped the handkerchief and she saw red sparks erupt all around her.

 

As she was disappearing, she realized what had happened to her and she gaped with disbelief.

 

How?!

 

She was a Never!

 

This shouldn't be possible!

 

The asumder could tell if someone was an Ever or Never and could direct its siren song toward Evers and Evers alone.

 

But Hilda realized that she had confused it.

 

She had confused the water spirit.

 

When she had saved Milly's wolfhounds (who the water spirit had not been directed to spare by dropping and kerchief and would certainly kill them) she had made it believe that she was an Ever.

 

And it had directed its sultry sound toward her.

 

Her downfall had been saving her friend.

 

But, as she appeared back in the clearing, she realized that she would have done nothing different if she had known the consequences.

 

And perhaps that very thought was what had convinced the water spirit that she was not a Never after all.

 

~

 

Milly appeared in the clearing and instantly crumpled to the ground.

 

Hilda had saved her and her wolfhounds.

 

The wolfhounds looked around in confusion and then padded up to her, licking her hand and trying to see what had her so upset.

 

She watched the blue forest for less than five minutes before she saw the brilliant red sparks erupt into the air.

 

She raced to the form that appeared just a moment later.

 

She almost fell in her haste, but she made it there just before Hilda had the chance to fall.

 

Having the spell of the water spirit was a very shocking experience.

 

"Hil, are you hurt?"

 

Hilda looked up and her bright red eyes stared right through Milly.

 

"I'm fine."

 

Milly helped Hilda to her feet and when the nymphs arrived to carry the Never off, she insisted that Milly come with her.

 

When they were in the tent all alone, Hilda spoke.

 

"The water spirit. It got me."

 

Milly stared at her with confusion.

 

But Hilda's calm, gravelly voice explained what had happened and why.

 

"I'm sorry, Hil," Milly whispered, looking down at the ground.

 

Hilda reached a hand out and put it on Milly's.

 

"Don't be. I did it for you."

 

Milly's throat felt dry and she just nodded, finding it impossible to look away from Hilda's eyes when they held such conviction it them.

 

~

 

When Hilda and Milly walked out of the tent, the Ever and Never students stared at them with disbelief.

 

The two of them couldn't be friends too, could they?!

 

Sure, they had spent their lunches together... but the Trial by Tale was when friendships and relationships were truly tested in the School for Good and Evil.

 

One's innermost thoughts and desires could be shown and it was the number one reason for breakups and the end of friendships at the two schools.

 

But if two people from different schools could maintain a friendship through all of that...

 

Evers and Nevers glanced at each other from across the clearing and tried to look like they weren't.

 

But in their minds they couldn't help but think of the what ifs.

 

~

 

Amber watched the red sparks go up and her eyes went wide.

 

That had to be Hilda.

 

Hilda had been the only Never in the Trial besides Amber herself.

 

She took a deep, shaky breath and tried to clear her head.

 

But it was muddled with worry and thoughts of her sister.

 

Theresa leapt into action.

 

She spun to face Amber and grabbed onto her shoulders, turning her so that Amber was facing her.

 

"She's fine. She dropped her kerchief and that means that she's getting medical attention if she's injured. In fact, you should be less worried now considering she's in far less danger than you are," Theresa said.

 

Amber stared at the princess and nodded slowly, allowing the surprisingly logical statement to fill her up.

 

Theresa gave her a smile and turned to face the rest of the blue forest.

 

"Come on, let's keep going."

 

She didn't say that it was because whatever had caused Hilda to drop her kerchief could be just a few dozen yards from them.

 

Amber followed her, staying about a step behind.

 

It was weird that Theresa had cleared her mind.

 

Usually the princess made it cluttered and confused, like she couldn't think about anything but her.

 

But for once... she had made everything look clear.

 

Theresa glanced back at her and flashed her beaming smile.

 

Amber found herself believing what the other girl had said.

 

Hilda would be okay.

 

She had to be.

 

And Amber had to focus on the trouble she would undoubtedly have to face before the Trial ended (and perhaps that trouble came in the form of a beautiful princess that made it hard for her to think most the time).


	41. Chapter 41

The Evers were somewhat smug as they looked at the leaderboard.

 

Soon, they were taunting the Nevers and claiming that they had two while they had one.

 

Hilda's snort of laughter was enough to make everyone turn around and look at her.

 

"What's so funny?" another Never snapped.

 

She looked around with an incredulous expression.

 

"I wouldn't say there's two Evers against a Never."

 

Everyone looked at her and Milly was giggling.

 

She wouldn't have gone any further if Milly wasn't looking at her like that.

 

"Why?"

 

"Are they all working on their own?"

 

There were so many questions that Hilda almost snapped.

 

"It's pretty clear that Theresa and Amber are working together," Hilda said with a shrug.

 

Everyone gaped at her.

 

"Of course they are. And if they win, they're going to win together," Milly added.

 

There were tons of Evers and Nevers that were discussing the new information.

 

There were bets made about what was going to happen.

 

Many thought that Amber was going to betray Theresa.

 

Others thought that Hilda and Milly were playing a prank on them.

 

Some thought Theresa was planning the perfect moment to take Amber's kerchief.

 

Not a single person (outside of the kids from the future) thought that the two of them were going to work together.

 

~

 

Theresa could hear footsteps to the side of the clearing and the crunching of boots on sticks.

 

She froze and grabbed onto Amber's arm, pulling her back.

 

"Amb, there's someone here," Theresa whispered to the two other girls.

 

Amber glanced down at where Theresa grabbed her arm.

 

"Where?" she whispered.

 

But her question was unnecessary as another form walked into the clearing.

 

The sun was close to rising just a little ways over the horizon.

 

Nicola stepped into view with a small smirk on her face, watching the two of them.

 

"An Ever and a Never?"

 

Nicola laughed.

 

"What makes you think that your little witch won't betray you, Princess?" Nicola asked.

 

Theresa tightened her grip on Amber's arm and the Never glanced at her, wondering if Theresa could believe such a thing.

 

"And you, little witch, what makes you smile think that little miss perfect would be willing to win with a Never?"

 

Amber glanced at Theresa and felt the hand grasping her arm tighten again.

 

"Because we trust each other," Theresa said.

 

Her tone had changed.

 

It wasn't her usual carefree voice that she used everyday.

 

It was cold and strong, leaving no room for argument and sounded like a true leader, a wise queen rather than a young princess.

 

"You seem to believe that having an ally is a weakness. But both of us would have been disqualified by now without each other."

 

Nicola stared at the two of them.

 

Theresa grabbed onto Amber's hand and gripped it tightly.

 

"You need to rely on others sometimes."

 

Nicola stared at them and her heart started beating twice as fast.

 

Could a Never and an Ever actually rely on each other?!

 

"How do you know that you can trust a Never?"

 

It wasn't a cold voice.

 

It was confused and... scared.

 

Like she wanted to know and wasn't just trying to prove Theresa wrong.

 

"You can't just trust people that are just like you. You have to have people who have different strengths and different weaknesses so you can be better together than alone. Amber might be a Never, but that just means that she has different strengths than me. And as an Ever, I have different strengths than her. I think that everyone needs to have someone in their life that's so different from them."

 

Amber stared at Theresa and she didn't care that she had "hearts for eyes" or that she looked completely in love.

 

Nicola seemed to notice the look on Amber's face.

 

She understood immediately.

 

But... could Theresa trust Amber?

 

Could...

 

Could Nicola trust Sophie?

 

She felt her heart beating faster and heat rushed to her face.

 

Yes, she had finally admitted that she liked Sophie.

 

But she had seen Nevers betray others before.

 

She had seen Sophie do it in her own fairytale too.

 

Nicola suddenly realized something.

 

If she could put pressure on these two, on the second place Never in the School for Evil, then maybe... maybe she could see if Evers and Nevers could actually work together.

 

Theresa tightened her hand around Amber's.

 

Nicola's finger glowed brightly.

 

She ran her finger through the air.

 

The trees themselves came alive around them.

 

Theresa raised her shield as the first tree branch slammed towards them.

 

She shoved Amber behind her and grunted, absorbing the hit.

 

Amber's mice scurried down her legs and ran toward Nicola.

 

She sent lightning and rain down toward them.

 

Theresa slashed at the tree branches and was glad her practice sword wasn't made of metal considering the lightning.

 

Nicola focused her attacks on Amber first, watching as Theresa defended the other girl.

 

One of the trees slashed against Theresa's side and she gasped, cutting the branch a bit late, but she kept going.

 

"Theresa!" Amber called and ran over to her with a worried look on her face.

 

"I'm fine!" Theresa growled, holding up her shield and absorbing a hit that would have taken Amber in the gut.

 

The Never's eyes widened and she went to help defend with Theresa.

 

"No! Focus on Nicola. I'll protect you."

 

Nicola's eyes widened.

 

She hadn't expected that.

 

She'd even forgotten the mice that were now scurrying toward her.

 

Nicola turned her attention to the mice that were now the size of a small person and she took a step back, raising her glowing finger and trying to defend from the three.

 

Amber glanced at Theresa and saw she was still absorbing the attacks right beside her.

 

"Theresa, I can help."

 

The princess glanced back and shot her a grin.

 

"But then what would I be doing?"

 

She turned serious.

 

"I trust you to take care of her. I'm willing to take that bet."

 

She spun on her heel and used the momentum to slash the branch off the tree.

 

Amber turned her attention to Nicola and her finger glowed brighter than ever before.

 

Theresa growled as a tree hit her in the leg and she fell.

 

But she used the force of her fall to slam the shield into the branch, cutting it off.

 

She rolled to her feet and went back to her defense of Amber.

 

The sun was just peaking over landscape, not yet enough to be considered the sunrise.

 

It showered the land in a golden color.

 

Theresa frowned for a second.

 

That brilliant golden shade wasn't just coming from the sun.

 

She glanced over her shoulder and saw Amber.

 

Her finger was raised in front of her, calling upon retaliatory attacks (she would never call it  defense, that was an Ever thing).

 

But that wasn't what was important at the moment.

 

The important piece of information was that Theresa's finger glow was no longer a shade of orange like it had once been.

 

Not almost red.

 

It was as golden as the rising sun.

 

Theresa allowed her finger to glow as she sliced another tree branch, a grin on her lips.

 

Her own finger matched the exact shade of Amber's.

 

The Never glanced away from her opponent and felt her face turning red.

 

She looked from her finger glow to Theresa's.

 

She found no difference between the two shades.

 

Theresa caught her gaze and grinned, her expression almost as bright as the sun.

 

Amber told herself she could worry about their matching finger glows later. Right now she was trying to make sure they won the Trial by Tale.

 

Amber threw a bolt of lightning at Nicola and didn't see the tree branch coming from the side.

 

Theresa leapt and threw herself in front of Amber.

 

It threw her to the side and Amber screamed.

 

"THERESA!"

 

The witch knelt down beside Theresa and the princess grunted at the cut on her side.

 

Theresa grabbed onto Amber's hand and squeezed it.

 

"Take her down for me," Theresa said.

 

Amber shook her head and looked down at Theresa, but the other girl laughed.

 

"Don't put down your kerchief."

 

Theresa rolled her eyes.

 

"I wasn't planning on it, Amb. Now turn around before Aunt Nic gets you."

 

Amber turned to looked at Nicola.

 

Her eyes flashed with anger and she spun on her heel.

 

She allowed her finger to glow even brighter and she threw her spells back at the Ever.

 

She growled and threw a lightning bolt at Nicola.

 

That's. My. Theresa.

 

She growled and her mice shrieked in anger.

 

The mice threw themselves at Nicola with a vengeance.

 

One of them tackled the girl to the ground and squeaked, searching for the girl's handkerchief.

 

Nicola threw the first one off of her, but the second mouse tackled her.

 

Finally, one of them threw the coat off of the girl.

 

The other two mice tore the coat apart until they could find the kerchief and threw it to the ground.

 

As Nicola vanished, she realized that her plan had worked.

 

Theresa was laying on the ground and her kerchief was sticking out of her boot, the white piece of fabric just dangling a centimeter off the ground.

 

The sun was about to rise and the only Never left was standing on her own beside the Ever.

 

All she had to do was take the handkerchief off the boot and put it on the ground.

 

She could even make it look like an accident too.

 

Nicola reappeared in the clearing and her gaze traveled to the blue forest again.

 

There was about two minutes before the Trial was over.

 

She could wait for the decision.

 

~

 

Amber rushed to Theresa's side and slid to her knees beside her.

 

Theresa was coughing and had deep cuts all along her arms and legs.

 

Amber stared for a long moment before her eyes landed on the kerchief sticking out of her boot.

 

~

 

Nicola didn't get long to think before a blond form appeared in front of her.

 

She had a worried look on her face and she pulled Nicola toward her, looking her up and down.

 

She took in the dirt and mud all along her body and the cuts, but for once Sophie wasn't deterred by grime and dirt.

 

It made Nicola stare at her with wide, disbelieving eyes.

 

"Were you hurt?"

 

Nicola shrugged, but a searing pain ran through her shoulder at the movement.

 

Sophie instantly narrowed in on said shoulder.

 

"The nymphs should take a look at you."

 

Nicola glanced and saw the sun coming up over the horizon.

 

Two minutes.

 

"No. I need to see how this ends."

 

She locked eyes with Sophie and for a moment she found herself lost in big emerald pools.

 

Sophie looked like she was going to protest, but she looked at Nicola and sighed, shaking her head.

 

"Fine."

 

Nicola felt her heart beating quicker at the close proximity of the Dean of Evil.

 

She turned to look at the blue forest and found herself hoping desperately that Amber wouldn't mess this up.

 

She felt as if her own decision rode on the other girl's.

 

She would disprove or prove the possibility of relationships between Evers and Nevers.

 

She took a deep breath and glanced at the blond Never beside her.

 

She didn't know how important this ending was to their own Ending.

 

~

 

Amber caught sight of the handkerchief and shoved it back into Theresa's boot quickly.

 

After that, she helped the other girl into a sitting position.

 

Theresa laughed and leaned on her.

 

"I'll be fine. You know me, I always bounce right back up."

 

Amber found herself laughing and Theresa smiled at her.

 

"You look really pretty when you laugh."

 

Amber blushed bright red.

 

Theresa pushed herself up so that she was sitting on her own.

 

Amber took a deep breath.

 

She was ready.

 

She had finally worked up the courage.

 

But she had to do it now.

 

"Amber, we did it! The sun's coming up! Amb-"

 

The Never shook her head and didn't even pay attention to the sentiment.

 

"Shut up...," she took a deep breath and felt her face turning bright red, "and kiss me."


	42. Chapter 42

"Shut up... and kiss me."

 

Theresa froze mid-sentence as she looked at Amber.

 

Wait, what?!

 

But before she could do or say anything, she felt Amber grab her face and pull her over.

 

Theresa gasped as lips connected with hers.

 

Her eyes were wide open and she could see Amber.

 

She didn't know why people always closed their eyes when they kissed.

 

She liked looking at Amber.

 

Amber still had her hands on Theresa's face and she had her eyes closed tightly. Her face was red and she looked like she was scared for what was going to happen when she pulled away.

 

Theresa felt a laugh bubbling up in the back of thee throat.

 

But she kept it in and forced herself to close her eyes.

 

She leaned into the kiss and Amber took that as incentive to come closer.

 

She practically threw herself next to Theresa and the princess would have been easily able to support them.

 

That is, if she hadn't been injured.

 

As she was, the two of them tumbled back into the blue grass and Amber let out a quiet shriek.

 

Theresa laughed and opened her eyes, seeing the Never still blushing and looking back at her.

 

She pulled Amber back over and didn't even bother sitting up, instead having Amber half lay on her and half support herself so that Theresa didn't have her whole weight on her chest.

 

Theresa pulled back after a minute and grinned at her.

 

"You have no idea how long I've been waiting to do that."

 

Amber grinned at her, but she still had a red tint to her cheeks.

 

"I said shut up," she whispered, though of course there was no malice to her tone.

 

Theresa grinned, closing her eyes.

 

"Gladly."

 

Amber's lips were back on her own and she saw fireworks.

 

It was cheesy, but she didn't care.

 

She'd gotten her crush to kiss her and she couldn't be happier.

 

The princess had won the witch (or perhaps the other way around)... not exactly your classic fairytale ending.

 

But Theresa didn't care as she pulled Amber closer.

 

The Never ran a hand through the Ever's hair and she laughed despite the kiss.

 

She knew that Amber had done that earlier!

 

Amber mumbled "shut up" against her lips again and Theresa rolled her eyes, but happily obliged.

 

There were wolves howling in her background, but neither of them noticed.

 

That is they didn't notice until they could hear the sound of dozens of boots slamming against the ground as Evers and Nevers alike raced into the blue forest to see this year's two winners of the Trial by Tale.

 

"They did it!"

 

"They won together!"

 

"Princess Theresa!"

 

"Amber the Witch!"

 

Evers and Nevers had forgotten how much they had rejected the idea of the two winning together as they hurried into the clearing to see the two of them.

 

But they all froze.

 

It was slightly reminiscent of Tedros and Sophie's first Trial by Tale.

 

Similar in the fact that a Never and Ever had won and made everyone cheer for them... only to be shocked to silence upon the sight of them.

 

Only this time they were shocked to silence for a very different reason.

 

That reason being that the second place Never was running her hand through the second place Ever's hair while the Ever held her by the collar of her coat to pull her impossibly closer.

 

An Ever and a Never.

 

Were.

 

Kissing.

 

In the middle of the blue forest, at the end of the Trial by Tale.

 

That they had won together.

 

Everyone stared at them.

 

Amber pulled back and her face turned impossibly redder.

 

Theresa laughed and kept her arm around Amber.

 

One of them had gone to her coat and she was idly playing with the hem and causing it to tickle Amber's neck.

 

Her other hand was resting on her waist from where she had tugged her forward.

 

"Something wrong?" Theresa asked, acting as if it was a common occurrence for everyone to walk into the clearing and find them kissing.

 

Axel was gaping at his sister while also trying to be supportive and giving her a rather surprised thumbs up.

 

She winked at him and grinned.

 

Hilda was on the other end of the spectrum as she gaped at her sister and her sister's... whatever they were now!

 

Amber pulled herself closer to Theresa as if to hide herself from everyone's eyes.

 

Theresa turned and looked at Hilda.

 

She shot her a wide grin before threading her hand through Amber's hair and finding one of the mice that hadn't stopped squeaking since they had kissed.

 

The mouse scurried up Theresa's arm and situated itself in her fluffy blond hair that looked just like her father's (if a bit longer).

 

Milly gave both girls supportive smiles while Serenity stared at her cousin in disbelief.

 

Dede was giggling and clapping her hands.

 

"I was wondering how long until you two kissed!"

 

Dede was the first of the onlookers to have spoken since they got there.

 

Hilda was next, though nobody was sure if her sound effects should be counted as words or incomprehensible spluttering noises.

 

Nathan just shook his head and had a small smile on his face.

 

He glanced at the students around them that had all stopped their chanting upon finding the two so... close.

 

Suddenly, an Ever spoke up.

 

Not a special Ever in any sense.

 

Not from the future or particularly high in the rankings.

 

But he grinned and let out a cheer, clapping his hands.

 

He cheered for the winners of the Trial by Tale.

 

And soon the Never next to him did as well.

 

And then an Ever.

 

And another.

 

Until all of the Evers and Nevers standing in the cheering were grinning and cheering.

 

Amber buried her head in Theresa's loose coat.

 

The princess laughed and rubbed her back comfortingly.

 

Amber gave her a menacing glare for her laughter, but Theresa's grin made Amber's scowl falter and soon she was smiling as well.

 

~

 

Nicola watched the two with wide eyes and a slack jaw.

 

They'd done it.

 

An Ever and a Never.

 

She could see Sophie standing beside her and glanced over, feeling her face heating up.

 

She was thankful for her dark complexion that hide such embarrassment.

 

Maybe...

 

If they could make it work...

 

Then other couples from different schools could too, right?

 

She took a step to the right (subtly, of course) and she felt her shoulder bump against Sophie's.

 

~

 

Sophie almost jumped out of her skin when Nicola brushed against her.

 

The blond looked over and saw that the other girl seemed to have no intent on moving away.

 

And she was okay with that.

 

More than okay, actually.

 

She found herself smiling and she listened as everyone cheered the first successful mixed school couple to win the Trial by Tale.

 

She had a flashback to her own Trial by Tale and pushed all thoughts of Tedros from her mind.

 

She was easily able to replace them with thoughts of Nicola.

 

Funny how easy it was for thoughts of the Ever to override everything else in the blond girl's mind.

 

She tried not to show how disappointed she was when the nymphs came to take Nicola away, practically throwing her over their shoulders and running off.

 

It was a funny sight, watching the younger girl as she kicked and yelled at them to put her down and that she was perfectly capable of walking to the tent.

 

Sophie shook her head fondly and tried not to think about how much emotion the other girl caused in her.

 

~

 

Amber stood after a few minutes (as Nevers and Evers started to disperse) and held out her hand.

 

Theresa grinned and took it, allowing the Never to pull her to her feet.

 

Amber released her grip when Theresa was standing, but the princess didn't and she grinned at the embarrassed flush on Amber's neck and face.

 

She wondered if the other girl would always do that (she hoped so, because it was undeniably cute every time).

 

Axel was at her side in a moment and wrapped an arm around her waist, sticking his bony shoulder under her arm and supporting her weight despite the fact that he was not particularly... muscularly inclined.

 

She smiled at the effort anyways and leaned on him slightly.

 

Amber had Hilda at her side not a moment later and the girl was holding her up.

 

She cast a look at their still connected hands and a sour expression came over her face.

 

Amber saw it, but she didn't allow it to stop her from enjoying the way that Theresa's hand felt in her own.

 

"I told you so," Milly said quietly as she walked beside Hilda.

 

The tattooed Never grimaced and sent her a scowl.

 

Milly laughed and rolled her eyes.

 

Serenity walked behind her cousin and held her arms at the ready, as if expecting the other girl to fall at any point.

 

Theresa glanced at Amber and the two shared a smile.

 

Theresa's was wide and beaming while Amber's was narrow and thin... but both shown with the same light of excitement and joy.

 

The nymphs came for them a moment later and hurried them to the medical tents.

 

When they were laid in the sickness, Theresa reached out and grabbed Amber's hand again.

 

"Amb, I planned out whole thing for this next question. There was a sword that was supposed to go on my knee (for some reason), fireworks I intended to buy, dozens of students I wanted to have cheer for us... but I realized that you would hate all that."

 

Amber raised an eyebrow and tore her gaze away from their connected hands and to Theresa's pristine blue eyes.

 

"Amber of Camelot, will you be my date to the Snow Ball?"

 

Amber felt her throat go dry and her heart start pounding (she vaguely wondered if Theresa could feel her heartbeat in her hand).

 

"Yes."

 

Theresa beamed and she reached across the sickbeds and gave Amber a quick kiss.

 

It made Amber feel dizzy and her eyes fluttered shut despite the kiss being quick and chaste.

 

Theresa was grinning and she squeezed Amber's hand.

 

The nymphs were bustling around them and muttering about dramatic teenagers having to be romantic during the Trial and getting her.

 

Theresa ignored them and looked at Amber with nothing but adoration.

 

Amber didn't know if she lived up to the way those blue eyes looked at her...

 

But she liked it none the less.

 

There was a hissed whisper through the narrow "walls" of the tent.

 

"Amber, you're supposed to ask her something."

 

It was Dede's voice behind the tent and Amber frowned in confusion.

 

What should she ask?

 

Theresa was still staring at her and she suddenly realized what she had forgotten.

 

Oh.

 

Right.

 

"Theresa of Camelot, will you be my date to the No Ball?" she asked in a quiet and almost shy voice.

 

Theresa grinned.

 

"Hmm... let me think..."

 

Amber punched her in the shoulder with the hand that wasn't holding Theresa's.

 

"Ow!"

 

Amber glared at her.

 

"Yes! I'll go with you... as long as you don't punch me."

 

Amber punched her again and Theresa rolled her eyes, but she was still smiling at her.

 

"Took you long enough to kiss me. Do you know how many hints I dropped?!"

 

Amber blushed and looked down at the ground.

 

Theresa laughed.

 

"Doesn't matter now. As long as I can still do this."

 

She pulled Amber in for a kiss and the Never blushed.

 

She had a reputation to uphold!

 

Granted, said reputation may have taken a hit when the whole school found her kissing a princess after the Trial by Tale, but still!

 

She couldn't just have this many public displays of affection!

 

And yet she didn't take her hand from Theresa's.

 

Of anything, she tightened her grip at the thought.

 

"I've been thinking... I need a real nickname for you. How about Amb? Oooh! Or Amby!"

 

Theresa leaned closer and whispered in her ear.

 

"Or my girlfriend."

 

Amber didn't think she could turn any redder.

 

It just couldn't be physically possible.

 

She nodded shyly, a word that so rarely described Amber.

 

"I'd like that."

 

Theresa grinned.

 

"Good!"


	43. Chapter 43

Amber couldn't believe it.

 

She kissed Theresa (a lot).

 

And now she had a girlfriend.

 

Even if that girlfriend went to another school.

 

Usually, people would think that was a lie, but she definitely had proof.

 

Everyone had seen it yesterday... and some were more happy for her than others.

 

When she had walked back into her dorm (still bruised and with a few cuts that hadn't been healed by the nymphs yet) she saw her parents laying in one bed with Anadil's head resting on Hester's shoulder as they read from one textbook.

 

On the bed beside them, Dot was giggling at a letter in her hands that had the neat scrawl of an Ever. Kiko's handwriting, to be exact.

 

Dot sent another letter and laughed, rolling over on the bed.

 

Hester rolled her eyes and whispered something about Kiko and Dot being far too affectionate in Anadil's ear.

 

The albino raised an eyebrow and looked at their close proximity, but didn't say a word.

 

Needless to say, the three were enthused that their parents were finally together.

 

Dot was the first to notice their arrival.

 

She grinned and jumped off the bed, coming to the three and trying to pull them all into a hug at once... she did that all the time in the future and it made them feel a bit homesick (timesick?!).

 

Dot had gotten and read the full report (aloud upon Hester's insistence) when it had slipped under the door about five minutes ago.

 

The report was an account of the Trial by Tale that included the order of disqualification as well as the reason.

 

"Amber, congratulations!" Dot cries and hugged her tighter.

 

"Did you really win with that Ever?" Hester asked in the background.

 

She blushed and nodded.

 

Hilda growled and pushed past Dot, flopping onto the bed.

 

"Yeah, she did."

 

Hester looked over at Hilda with a single raised eyebrow.

 

Anadil looked at Amber and gave her the barest of smiles.

 

"And then she started making out with her," Hilda said with an eye roll.

 

Hester looked over at Amber, who blushed deeply.

 

Anadil gave her a wider smile while Hester glared.

 

"What's this girl's name again?"

 

"Hester, you know her name. They've talked about her a lot," Anadil said.

 

Hester shot Anadil a look.

 

"And she asked Amber to the Snow Ball!" Dede said, clapping her hands excitedly.

 

Hester scowl darkened.

 

Anadil was trying her hardest not to laugh.

 

"Please tell me you said no," Hester growled.

 

"She said yes!" Dede said, clapping her hands again.

 

Anadil snickered at Hester's gaping expression.

 

"And then Amber asked her to the No Ball!"

 

Hester was glowering.

 

Anadil was laughing now, full out laughing, and Hester slapped her on the arm.

 

"An Ever at the No Ball?!"

 

"Didn't you invite Agatha and say there were no rules at the No Ball?" Anadil asked.

 

Hester glared at her.

 

Amber snickered and Hilda screamed into her pillow.

 

Dot was gaping and her eyes turned to the window to look at the School for Good.

 

Hester growled and tried to find an argument against it.

 

She also tried to find out why she felt so defensive of the other girl.

 

Hilda looked to Hester as if to plead for a reason for Amber to not go with Theresa.

 

Hester shook her head and tried to find a reason.

 

But of course she couldn't.

 

Anadil rolled her eyes.

 

Amber sat down on her bed and Hilda gave her a scathing look.

 

Amber tried not to smile as she remembered the rest of the day.

 

Hilda gagged.

 

Hester did too and Anadil slapped her arm again.

 

~

 

Theresa stepped into the room and grinned, letting herself fall onto her bed.

 

Agatha raised an eyebrow and looked at her.

 

Theresa knew she was asking a question without having to say a word.

 

"She's coming to the Snow Ball with me," Theresa said with a beaming grin.

 

Tedros slammed the door open with Axel trailing behind him.

 

"Sorry," Axel whispered to his sister.

 

She shrugged.

 

"Tedros, she didn't betray me, unlike you and Sophie in your first year."

 

Tedros stared at her.

 

"It's true. They fought Nicola together," Axel added.

 

He was trying to be a better brother now.

 

He hadn't been one for a while and he felt guilty... especially after thenTrial by Tale.

 

He wanted to be a better person, the kind of person that would impress his father.

 

"She and Amber care for each other, Tedros."

 

Axel looked at his father and stood his ground.

 

Tedros met his gaze, despite Axel being much shorter than him, and stared for a long minute.

 

Axel could feel Tedros' concern from here and how worried he was for Theresa.

 

He thought Amber was going to betray her.

 

Axel put a hand on Tedros' arm and could feel the rush of emotions surging through him.

 

And then suddenly...

 

He felt pride.

 

He looked at Tedros and the prince (soon to be king) gave him a smile.

 

Axel felt himself blushing.

 

This pride wasn't directed at Theresa.

 

He was proud of Axel for sticking up for his sister.

 

Theresa looked between the two of them and suddenly realized what was happening.

 

She grinned at them (although she had already been smiling because of what had happened last night... or was it this morning? She guessed it didn't matter).

 

After the moment ended, Theresa sat up.

 

"Don't forget, I'm going to the Snow Ball with Amber, whether you like it or not."

 

Axel nodded and stared at his father with a level look.

 

Tedros laughed and pulled Axel in for a hug and the younger prince grinned.

 

His father was proud of him.

 

He'd been brave and fought for what he believed...

 

And Tedros was proud (even if he didn't know that he was Axel's father).

 

Theresa smiled and rolled over so that she could look at her mother.

 

Agatha rolled her eyes and looked at the boys.

 

Theresa laughed and matched her mother's expression.

 

~

 

Sophie ran a hand through her hair.

 

She needed to ask Nicola to the No Ball.

 

But she was scared.

 

Yes, Sophie, the Witch of Woods Beyond, was scared.

 

She was scared to ask a girl to go to the No Ball with her.

 

Who would have thought the way to vanquish a witch was a sweet annoying know-it-all Ever?

 

Definitely not the witch herself.

 

~

 

Nicola looked up at the roof of the dorm room.

 

Beside her, Beatrix and Reena were laying together on their bed and whispering to each other with giggles.

 

She rolled her eyes and flipped over in her bed to ignore them.

 

Milly looked at her parents with disgust and hurried out of the room muttering something about going to her friend's room.

 

Nicola ignored her and found herself thinking about emerald green eyes and beautiful blond hair.

 

She needed to work out her issues with the Dean of Evil.

 

Her issues being the fact that she wanted to kiss her.

 

Yes, that was a pretty big issue.

 

She sighed and pulled the pillow over her head in an effort to block out the rest of the world.

 

It didn't work too well as she could still hear Beatrix and Reena flirting in the background.

 

~

 

Serenity was so happy that Dede's parents were getting together.

 

Don't get her wrong, she was incredibly excited.

 

But that didn't mean she liked to listen to Kiko as she giggled at the letters she was exchanging with Dot right now.

 

And so she grabbed her textbook and hurried out of the room.

 

She pounded her fist on Theresa's dorm room door and when it opened she barged right in.

 

Theresa raised an eyebrow as Serenity flopped onto her bed and pulled out her textbook.

 

"Kiko being too chummy with Dot?" she asked.

 

The other girl nodded and Theresa laughed, joining Serenity.

 

She laid down and Serenity took that as an invitation.

 

She leaned back on Theresa and used her cousin's stomach as a pillow.

 

Theresa gave her an eye roll, but didn't object.

 

A minute later, another Ever rushed in.

 

"My moms are being disgusting," Milly whined and threw herself onto the bed beside them.

 

She put her head on Theresa's shoulder and laid down.

 

"Yes, I'm a pillow now. My dreams in life have been fulfilled."

 

"Pillows don't talk," Serenity said without looking up from her textbook.

 

Theresa slapped her arm and Serenity gasped in mock offense.

 

Axel came in not a minute later and curled up beside his sister and cousin in a small little ball.

 

"Mom and Dad shouldn't be allowed to kiss in front of me. It should be illegal."

 

"I'll make sure it is when I'm queen," Theresa said dryly.

 

The bed shifted under Axel's weight and Theresa shook her head.

 

"This bed isn't supposed to hold four people."

 

Serenity shrugged and continued reading.

 

"When it breaks, you three are buying a new one."

 

"You're the princess of Camelot. You have enough money to buy a bed," Milly said.

 

Theresa grumbled and considered throwing the three off of her, but of course she didn't.

 

Serenity was suddenly grinning.

 

"I'm sure we could make room for a fifth if you want to invite Amber," she said, her green eyes flashing with mischief.

 

Theresa blushed.

 

"Shut it, Ser."

 

"You two seemed to have a lot of fun during the Trial."

 

"You and Dede did too," Theresa said.

 

Serenity fumbled and almost dropped her textbook.

 

"What? I don't know what you're talking about."

 

Theresa laughed and shook her head.

 

"You're terrible at lying, Ser. I can see why you're an Ever."

 

Serenity shoved her side and Milly let out a squawk of indignation as she was almost pushed off the bed.

 

She shoved Theresa back and Serenity was pushed against the edge of the bed.

 

"Can you please stop shoving me?" Theresa asked in a monotone voice.

 

"Pillows don't talk," Axel, Serenity, and Milly said together.

 

~

 

Hester twitched as Anadil ran a finger on her tattoo.

 

She glanced at the other witch and raised an eyebrow.

 

Anadil smirked and continued to stroke her tattoo.

 

Hester rolled her eyes, not sure why the other girl seemed to be so focused on her tattoo.

 

Dot was still giggling and writing letters to Kiko and it made Hester want to snap her pen.

 

But she had to admit she was far too comfortable to actually get up at the moment.

 

That and if she tried to get up Anadil would just growl at her and continue to lay on her shoulder.

 

Yes, she was somewhat trapped.

 

On the other bed, Hilda and Amber were in the middle of a very in depth conversation.

 

"Why did you have to pick her?"

 

Amber shrugged.

 

"I mean, I understand if you just had to pick an Ever, but did it really need to be Theresa?"

 

Amber raised an eyebrow.

 

"I'm sure you understand picking an Ever."

 

Hilda stared at her.

 

"What's that supposed to mean?"

 

Amber rolled her eyes.

 

"You can be so blind sometimes."

 

Hilda glared at her.

 

"But you didn't just have to pick an Ever, you had to pick the most Ever out there! You picked the princess of-"

 

Amber slapped a hand over her mouth with a dark glare.

 

Hilda realized she had been about to say Camelot and grimaced.

 

Amber glared at her and Hilda shoved her hand off her mouth.

 

"The point is that you picked the queen of the Evers."

 

Amber shrugged and turned back to her textbook.

 

"I don't see the problem."

 

Hilda growled and shook her head at her sister with disdain.

 

"I swear if Theresa is my sister-in-law one day I'm going to kill someone."

 

Amber blushed a dark crimson and tried to not think about that.

 

~

 

Sophie took a deep breath.

 

She was gathering her courage.

 

She needed to ask the other girl and that was that.

 

She was Sophie of Woods Beyond.

 

She could ask out a first year Ever.

 

With that in mind, she nodded with finality and prepared for lunch.

 

That would be her only opportunity.

 

And she intended to take it.


	44. Chapter 44

Sophie took a deep breath.

 

Lunch was coming up quickly, especially considering classes had been canceled due to the Trial by Tale and she had spent the whole time trying to plan out how to tell Nicola she liked her.

 

But when she walked into the clearing, everything she'd rehearsed in the mirror fled her mind and she just stared at the other girl, still sitting at Agatha's table.

 

She didn't notice the way Serenity was watching her with fierce intensity.

 

She took a deep breath and strode up.

 

"Nicola, can is talk to you?"

 

The Ever looked up and Sophie's breath caught in her throat.

 

Nicola raised an eyebrow, but she nodded and Sophie led her to the edge of the clearing.

 

Why was this so difficult?!

 

She just had to ask her one simple question...

 

"Nicola, I realize that you're an Ever, but I enjoyed having you in my class..."

 

Nicola was staring at her and those beautiful brown eyes made Sophie's heart beat twice as fast as normal.

 

"And I would really like to talk to you outside of class... so, I was wondering if you'd like to be my date to the No Ball."

 

~

 

Serenity tried in vain to get a sight of her mothers.

 

Theresa put a hand on her shoulder comfortingly and Serenity took a deep breath.

 

She had had the hardest time trying to get her parents together.

 

They were so different and she had been in the School for Good...

 

She put her head on Theresa's shoulder and sought the comfort the other girl always seemed to emanate with.

 

She wrapped an arm around Serenity's waist as she let out a breath.

 

It was then that the Nevers made an appearance.

 

Sophie has hurried to the clearing, obviously to see Nicola.

 

Amber arrived and Theresa turned her attention from Serenity, but she didn't move away.

 

Amber looked at the form so close to Theresa with dark eyes before she realized it was her cousin and relaxed slightly.

 

Theresa rolled her eyes.

 

Hadn't even been dating and she was already jealous... but that made her grin.

 

The Nevers took their seats and Amber awkwardly sat beside Theresa.

 

It looked like she wanted to move closer, but also like she wasn't sure if she could.

 

Theresa smirked and made the decision for her.

 

She grabbed Amber by the coat (her coat, she realized with a smug smile) and pulled her closer.

 

Amber grunted, but she didn't object and awkwardly put her head on Theresa's shoulder like Serenity was doing at the moment.

 

Hilda gagged and Milly slapped her arm.

 

Amber was blushing, but Theresa was just grinning as she put an arm around Amber's shoulders.

 

Serenity didn't seem to notice the new couple and kept her eyes locked on where her mothers had disappeared.

 

Theresa leaned over and whispered in her cousin's ear.

 

"I'm sure they're already planning their wedding."

 

Serenity laughed, even if it was a bit forced.

 

Amber glared at Theresa and tugged her back, wrapping an arm around her waist almost... no, entirely possessive.

 

Theresa grunted and Axel laughed.

 

"Your new girlfriend's a handful," Axel said with a snicker.

 

Amber glared at him.

 

Theresa shrugged and grinned.

 

"Wouldn't have it any other way."

 

Amber blushed.

 

~

 

Nicola stared at Sophie.

 

Did she just...?

 

She did.

 

Oh and now Nicola was being that rude person that didn't respond.

 

Sophie was already trying to backtrack.

 

"I mean you don't have to. I have eight people that already asked and I said I'd get back to them-"

 

Nicola laughed, knowing it wasn't true.

 

Sophie stared at her.

 

Nicola took a step closer.

 

"I'll go with you. On one condition."

 

She knew Sophie truly cared when her eyes widened and she spoke without thinking.

 

"What?" she breathed.

 

Nicola took another step forward and now they were less than a foot apart.

 

"You come to the Snow Ball with me."

 

Sophie stared and went to speak, but Nicola interrupted her.

 

Sophie had always hated when people interrupted her.

 

But she could get used to this.

 

Nicola closed the distance between them and connected their lips.

 

Sophie's eyes fluttered shut and she leaned up to meet her.

 

Nicola went to pulled her closer, but Sophie was already there.

 

She had her hand on Nicola's short collar and she had all but yanked the other girl down.

 

Nicola made a surprised sound against her lips and almost pulled back due to the shock.

 

But now that Sophie had the other girl kissing her, she wasn't letting go.

 

She took another step forward and used her other hand to run through her hair gently.

 

Nicola was expecting Sophie to be rougher (especially considering how she had tugged her down), but she was gentle and almost reverent as she kissed her, including how she played with her hair that curled just slightly at the end.

 

Nicola wrapped her arms around Sophie's waist and softly set her hands down.

 

Sophie seemed to melt into her and Nicola was disappointed that she had to pull back for air.

 

Sophie laughed against her lips when they separated and gently set her head on Nicola's shoulder.

 

"That went better than expected."

 

Nicola grinned.

 

"I thought you always expected the best."

 

Sophie gave her a playful glare and Nicola wiped the look off of her face with a deep kiss.

 

When she pulled away, Sophie had a much different expression.

 

She had a dazed look and her eyes were glittering open as she stared at Nicola.

 

The Ever laughed and Sophie couldn't find it in her to even pretend to be upset.

 

~

 

Serenity finally saw her parents walking in and she grinned, seeing that Sophie was being as clingy as she always was with Nicola.

 

The blond had her arms wrapped around one of Nicola's and her head set on her shoulder with a wide smile.

 

Everyone else gaped and stared at the two of them.

 

Agatha was beaming at her sister and Tedros was gaping.

 

He'd dropped his fork and it sat on his plate untouched.

 

Serenity relaxed her right grip on Theresa's arm while her mother tightened hers on Nicola's.

 

She held onto Nicola like she was the most famous king and the strongest warrior that could be found in the Endless Woods, like she should be showing her off but didn't want to share her long enough to do so.

 

Serenity was sure that by now Nicola's arm was asleep, but she was smiling and didn't seem to care.

 

Sophie whispered something into Nicola's ear and both of them laughed.

 

"Teddy, you have something on your face."

 

The prince jumped and wiped away a bit of his food left on his mouth.

 

Agatha was laughing as quietly as she could (read as very loud snorts of amusement).

 

Serenity took her head off of Theresa's shoulder and pulled away so that the other girl could eat, because she was certain that Amber wouldn't pull away long enough for Theresa to use her left hand.

 

It was a good thing Theresa had practiced using the sword with her right hand so much or she might not be able to eat.

 

Hilda was still sitting next to her sister, but she seemed awkward and didn't know if they could talk.

 

Amber bridged the gap and soon they were talking about their classes and their plan that had gone surprisingly well.

 

But Hilda was also splitting her attention with Milly and the two were talking about the Trial by Tale yesterday.

 

"I can't believe that Dede disqualified!" Nathan was saying with a playful glare at Dede.

 

Serenity got distracted and started to talk about the way Dede had transformed into Darth Dede and was getting into the story.

 

Dede watched her tell it with a slightly surprised expression before she settled into the storytelling and they were both smiling.

 

Nathan frowned at looked at Serenity with a confused expression.

 

But Axel distracted him and the two were discussing the way they had dealt with the Trial by Tale.

 

Soon, Axel was asked how he had been disqualified and everyone listened to his rather emotional story.

 

Theresa had an incredibly proud look on her face with Amber, still sitting close to Theresa, snorted.

 

The Nevers couldn't understand why he had done what he did, but the Evers were all looking at the youngest of their group with various levels of pride.

 

Nathan was looking at Axel with a shellshocked expression.

 

Just because he didn't understand why Axel had done it didn't mean he couldn't be impressed by the Ever's commitment to Good.

 

"If Nicola and Sophie are together... that just leaves...," Theresa trailed off and looked up to see Dot sitting by her friends and awkwardly looking over at where Kiko sat with Beatrix and Reena.

 

Both were shooting each other tension-filled looks and Theresa rolled her eyes.

 

One of them needed to make a move!

 

Dede stood.

 

"I've got it," she said with a smile before heading over to Dot.

 

~

 

Dot glanced at Kiko (again... what was this, the two hundredth time?) and felt her heart start beating out of her chest.

 

She wanted to talk to her.

 

She wanted to ask her to the No Ball...

 

But she was scared.

 

Yes, she was scared.

 

She had finally decided that she wasn't going to, that Kiko would want some Ever prince and not some witch like her, when she saw Dede walking up with a bright smile on her face.

 

"Just go ask her. I'm sure she'll say yes," Dede whispered and then turned to walk back to her friends like she hadn't just turned Dot's world upside down.

 

How did she know?!

 

She didn't have time to wonder.

 

She just needed to go and ask.

 

So she stood and took one last deep breath before she strode over, oozing fake confidence as she did so.

 

Kiko looked up and saw Dot standing just a few feet away with a brilliant smile.

 

"Can I talk to you?"

 

Kiko nodded far too eagerly, but she didn't care.

 

They went a few yards away into the forest and Dot paused to gather her strength.

 

"Kiko if Neverland, would you be my date to the No Bal-"

 

"YES!"

 

Kiko threw her arms around Dot and pulled her in for a soft, gentle kiss.

 

"Be my date to the Snow Ball?" she asked in a soft voice, looking almost worried that Dot would say no.

 

Dot nodded eagerly and grinned, pulling Kiko back into another kiss.

 

~

 

Hester cleared her throat in embarrassment.

 

She glanced at Anadil and awkwardly pulled a dark red, almost dead rose from her pocket.

 

"If you're not busy, I was wondering if you'd like to go to the No Ball with me."

 

Hester tried to sound casual, but her heart was beating like crazy as she waited on Anadil's response.

 

The albino looked over and saw the rose in her hand.

 

Her face turned a bit pinks and nodded.

 

She tried to sound as uncaring as Hester, but her excitement shone through a bit, causing Hester to grin as well.

 

"Yeah, I think I'm free. I'll go with you."

 

Hester took advantage of the fact that Dot wasn't here and pulled Anadil in for a quick kiss (nothing too much, she didn't want to ruin her image as the top Never in school).

 

Hester didn't object when Anadil slowly and quietly slipped her hand into her own.

 

~

 

Hort and Ravan were both awkward about the No Ball and they both ending up asking each other at the same time.

 

Both had immediately said "Yes!" as quickly as they could before blushing and looking away.

 

But when they came back into the clearing, they were holding hands.

 

~

 

Amber could see a prince staring at Theresa and she growled lowly, glaring at the Ever and pulling Theresa closer to her.

 

The princess laughed good naturedly and rubbed Amber on the back.

 

"Don't worry, I only have eyes for you," she whispered.

 

Hilda gagged as Amber blushed and looked at Theresa with heart eyes.


	45. Chapter 45

"You know... if you're going to the Snow Ball, you'll need to dress up."

 

Amber looked at Theresa like she had just committed blasphemy.

 

Hilda was laughing.

 

Theresa grinned and moved a bit closer to Amber.

 

"You'd look really pretty in a nice dress... maybe some Camelot colors... the coat looks nice on you, so that's some evidence," Theresa said, pristine blue eyes sparkling.

 

Amber blushed.

 

Hilda was waiting for it.

 

For Amber to snap and say she wouldn't wear a dress.

 

Because Amber had never worn a dress.

 

But instead Amber just looked at Theresa.

 

"Fine," she growled out.

 

Theresa's face lit up with excitement.

 

"Really?!"

 

Amber glared at her and nodded, her face still tinted red as she looked at her.

 

Theresa glanced at her cousin and could tell she was already formulating ideas in her head.

 

Theresa's arm was going numb, but Amber seemed to have no intention of letting her go.

 

And she was okay with that.

 

They were going to the Snow Ball and the No Ball in a couple of days and they had finally ensured that all of them were actually going to be born.

 

And as Theresa finally let herself relax, Merlin appeared.

 

"Congratulations! You have all ensured that you were born and it's time to take you home!"

 

Theresa felt her smile fall.

 

That meant...

 

She glanced at Amber.

 

The Never has a practiced blank look on her face.

 

But she could tell that Amber was disappointed.

 

That made her feel happy (even though she herself was disappointed).

 

Merlin didn't seem to notice and he snapped his fingers.

 

There was a blindingly bright light all around them and they reappeared in their proper time.

 

In the past, everyone seemed to forget about them.

 

They forgot that they were supposed to come back and should still be at their school, but they all remembered the lessons they'd taught them.

 

It was easy to manipulate the human mind.

 

But there was something that couldn't be manipulated so easy.

 

But he could delay it.

 

But not for too long.

 

~

 

Theresa groaned and pushed herself to her feet.

 

She grabbed onto Amber's hand and pulled her up while the Never grumbled and leaned against her.

 

The others were all climbing to their feet, but Amber was still groggy and practically laying against her.

 

Theresa shrugged and pulled the girl into her arms and held her bridal style.

 

Hilda grumbled something about PDA and rolled her eyes before continuing to take in her bearings.

 

She smiled as she suddenly recognized where it was.

 

It was the Camelot castle gardens.

 

Where Merlin had originally found them.

 

And, she assumed, when Merlin had originally found them.

 

She turned around and could see the adults coming out of the dining room.

 

~

 

"Does anyone know where the kids went?" Nicola asked suddenly.

 

Everyone turned from their various conversations and frowned.

 

"Hilda and Amber were talking about going to track down Theresa and Axel."

 

Hester didn't mention that the kids planned to prank them.

 

"Milly went to join them," Reena added.

 

"So did Dede," Kiko joined in.

 

"Nathan always wants to talk to Axel, so he'd probably be with him," Ravan said.

 

"Well, Theresa and Axel were in the garden last we saw them," Agatha said.

 

"I'd bet Serenity went wherever Axel and Theresa are," Sophie said.

 

All the adults hurried to their feet and hurried to the garden.

 

~

 

"Put my daughter down!" Hester roared, glaring at Theresa and letting her finger glow bright red.

 

Theresa held Amber tighter and pulled her closer to her chest.

 

Tedros glared and drew Excalibur.

 

Agatha rolled her eyes.

 

"Calm down!" she snapped, glaring at both of them.

 

Theresa allowed herself to relax slightly and held Amber a bit more loosely.

 

"She's just waking up. I didn't know she was a heavy sleeper. It's cute," Theresa said.

 

Hilda gagged.

 

Amber mumbled in her arms.

 

"Not cute..."

 

Theresa grinned.

 

"What happened?" Hester demanded as she and Anadil hurried to Theresa's side and looked at her daughter.

 

"She's perfectly fine," Theresa promised.

 

Hester glared at her and looked at her younger daughter.

 

Merlin appeared a moment later with a flourish of his cloak.

 

"I think I can explain what happened."

 

He pulled a book out of his cloak and tossed it at a gibbing Tedros.

 

He looked like a kid in a candy shop.

 

"Merlin!"

 

The old wizard smiled back at him.

 

He looked down at the storybook in his arms.

 

Don't Mess With Time.

 

He frowned and looked at Merlin.

 

"What's this?"

 

Theresa shrugged and looked down at Amber, gently and pushing a bit of hair out of her face.

 

Amber stirred a bit and Hester stared at them with disgust.

 

Amber yawned and her eyes fluttered open.

 

She caught sight of Theresa's beaming face as she looked down at her.

 

The witch found herself smiling and then blushed as she realized where she was.

 

"Put me down."

 

Theresa laughed.

 

"Sure."

 

She set the other girl down gently and Amber looked away from Theresa.

 

Hilda gagged while Hester looked at them with disgust.

 

Anadil raised an eyebrow and looked at her daughters, trying to put together the pieces of the puzzle.

 

"What's this book?" Hester asked, turning it over in her hands.

 

She'd stolen it from Tedros a few moments ago.

 

Merlin pulled out a few more copies of the book and passed them around.

 

"Why it's the newest release from the Storian. Or an old release. Depends on how you look at it."

 

Merlin's eyes sparkled.

 

"Oh no," Serenity breathed.

 

Merlin turned his gaze to the princess.

 

"Something wrong, Serenity?" he asked.

 

"Did you make them forget?" Serenity asked.

 

He nodded, still smirking.

 

"And this is the story?"

 

He nodded again.

 

Serenity laughed uncomfortably.

 

"How about we read this sometime later? Or maybe never?"

 

She went to take the book that Sophie had in her hand that Nicola was looking over her shoulder at it.

 

Sophie pulled it back when Serenity reached for it and opened it.

 

Hester opened hers and Anadil sat down beside her so they could read together.

 

"You sent our kids back in time?!" Hester hissed.

 

"What?!"

 

"I'm just going to...," Theresa trailed off and grabbed onto Amber's hand, pulling her out of the courtyard quietly.

 

The other kids followed suit until Nathan realized he was the last kid still in the courtyard and he raced after the others with wide eyes.

 

~

 

Theresa leaned against the wall and sighed.

 

"This is going to be awkward when they finish," she said.

 

Amber blushed and glanced at the other girl, still holding her hand.

 

"Yeah."

 

Hilda rolled her eyes.

 

~

 

It wasn't long before all the parents had finished the story and they raced to find the kids.

 

"Hilda, Amber, we're going home."

 

The two girls exchanged a look.

 

A nervous look.

 

Hester stared at them blankly and they both hurried to their feet.

 

Amber untangled her hand from Theresa's and shot her a look before she followed after her parents.

 

The other parents told their kids to come with them and they all silently followed after.

 

~

 

"Soooo... did you like the story?" Theresa asked.

 

Tedros cracked a smile while Agatha kept a straight face.

 

"You went back in time. Without talking to us. And you could have made it so you were never born!"

 

"But... if we didn't do anything, we definitely wouldn't have been born. That's what Merlin said. And he just sucked us into his cloak and poof! It's not like I had a chance to tell you."

 

Axel nodded in agreement.

 

But when Tedros looked at Axel, his face fell.

 

"Theresa, I need to speak with you," Agatha suddenly said.

 

She frowned in confusion and then glanced at her brother before following Agatha out of the room.

 

"Hey, Mom, I'm really sorry."

 

Agatha made a shushing noise.

 

"I'm not angry with you."

 

Theresa gaped.

 

"You can't be angry at Axel! This isn't his fault! He didn't even want to go back!"

 

Agatha reached up and covered Theresa's mouth.

 

"Let's go for a walk outside. Your father and Axel need some time to talk."

 

~

 

"You were gone for what, two months, and you start dating that pigheaded prince's daughter?!" Hester roared.

 

Anadil rolled her eyes.

 

"Hes, you saw how Theresa protected her during the Trial."

 

Hester turned her glare on Anadil, but the albino didn't back down in the slightest.

 

"You're being unreasonable."

 

Hester growled.

 

"Ani, that's our daughter dating Tedros' daughter!"

 

Anadil shrugged.

 

Hester gaped at her in disbelief.

 

"We can't control who she dates."

 

Hester faltered.

 

"She isn't even old enough to be dating!"

 

Anadil raised an eyebrow.

 

Hester sighed and ran a hand through her hair.

 

"Ani, they're growing up too fast."

 

Anadil gave Hester a consoling look and drew her in for a hug.

 

Amber and Hilda glanced at each other awkwardly and then looked away from their parents.

 

"Do you think we're in trouble?" Hilda whispered.

 

Amber shrugged, more distracted by the fact that her mother didn't want her to date Theresa.

 

~

 

Nathan has his father's arm slung around him.

 

"I can't believe you're the one that brought us together, Nate! And you did so well in the Trial!" Hort said.

 

Ravan laughed and shook his head, looking at the pair.

 

"I don't know how I didn't remember you!" Ravan added.

 

"Merlin did some sort of spell."

 

"Sounds like him."

 

The three were still laughing when they got back."

 

~

 

Milly looked at her mothers.

 

They were silently communicating through looks and she tried not to shift uncomfortably behind them.

 

Finally, they both turned around.

 

At the same time.

 

Yes, that was rather concerning, but she didn't let herself focus on that.

 

"Milly, you did amazing!" Reena said with an excited look on her face and a clap of her hands.

 

"You're still in trouble," Beatrix growled.

 

Reena slapped her arm and Beatrix glanced at her.

 

"The only way she could have avoided getting in trouble was for her to actually not be born," Reena pointed out.

 

Beatrix opened her mouth to argue, but nothing came out and she just crossed her arms a bit sullenly.

 

Reena giggled and kissed her face until Beatrix was smiling again.

 

"I guess you were rather impressive during the Trial," Beatrix begrudgingly admitted.

 

Milly grinned.

 

"But I don't know if I like you hanging out with that Hilda."

 

Reena slapped her again.

 

She gave her a pointed look before turning to Milly.

 

"We support you, no matter what you decide."

 

Milly blushed and pushed those thoughts out of her mind.

 

~

 

"Not even in school yet and my baby's already in her own fairytale!" Kiko said, pulling Dede in for a kiss and smooching all over her face.

 

The young Never laughed.

 

"It's not like I did that much."

 

"My baby's a true Never!" Dot said happily.

 

"Hester will stop bugging me about that now!"

 

Kiko giggled and rolled her eyes.

 

"She's just the Never you are, Dotty Wotty," Kiko said, wrapping her arm around Dot's waist with a grin.

 

The Never blushed and looked at her daughter proudly.

 

"Yes she is. And she has your optimism."

 

"You can say that again!" Kiko cheered.

 

~

 

Sophie was walking ahead of her wife and daughter with a sullen look on her face.

 

"An Ever," she muttered.

 

Serenity flinched.

 

"Yes, Ma, I'm an Ever," she said.

 

"But so are half your friends. And your sister. And your wife."

 

"And you like Dot and Kiko's kid out of everyone in the world!"

 

Serenity blushed darkly.

 

She leapt for the book.

 

"It didn't say that, did it?!"

 

Sophie gave her a sympathetic look.

 

"It only showed you and Axel commiserating over your love lives. Nobody will know, Babe."

 

Serenity let out a breath and nodded.

 

"Good."

 

Nicola put a hand on her daughter's shoulder.

 

"You did well."

 

Serenity grinned and then saw Sophie hurrying toward her.

 

"That's right."

 

She pulled her in for a bone crushing hug.

 

They never said someone did "Good" or "Bad" but instead well.

 

That was because they never knew which school Serenity would belong to.

 

~

 

Axel took a deep breath and squared his shoulders like he'd seen his father and sister do.

 

He hoped it was effective.

 

And he also hoped his dad wasn't mad at him.

 

But what else could it be if he wanted to speak to him alone?


	46. Chapter 46

Tedros let out a sigh and he slumped into his chair, head in his hands.

 

Axel gaped at him.

 

What was happening?!

 

"Axel, I try my hardest to be a good father for you."

 

Axel's eyes widened and his heart constricted painfully.

 

"But you and I... we're just so different."

 

Axel stared at his father as he lifted his head from his hands and looked at him, his face showing so much regret.

 

"I tried everything I could. Everything I thought a father should show their son. I tried to teach you how to sword fight, and you almost lost an arm. I tried to teach you how to hunt, and you befriended all the animals. I tried to teach you the bow and arrow, and you almost killed by best guard. And somehow during all of this... your sister thrived. She was good at everything I tried to teach you and so I taught her instead. She's the swordsman and the hunter. She's the one I taught to throw and the one I taught all of my advice on flirting. On flirting, Axe."

 

Axel put his head down in shame.

 

"But I still tried. I tried to talk to you about your books and your magic, but I just couldn't understand a word you said. I tried to help you practice your bird calls and whistles and whatever else. But I didn't understand any of it. I tried, Axe, but I could never understand what went on in that big head of yours. But you're not a disappointment, Axe. I try to show you that everyday. And I can't believe you think I'm disappointed in you."

 

Axel's heart stopped beating.

 

His father... had done all that?

 

Looking back, Axel could only remember it from his point of view.

 

His father trying desperately to try and teach him anything and everything he knew.

 

And then Theresa was there.

 

And she was just so good at everything.

 

And then Axel tried to show him what he was learning, and his father wouldn't understand any of it.

 

And soon he stopped explaining.

 

And then it was always him and Theresa.

 

And Axel was left behind.

 

But Tedros did try.

 

He tried his hardest.

 

But Axel... Axel hadn't.

 

He'd given up on their relationship.

 

And that was his fault.

 

He felt tears filling his eyes and he tried to blink them away, but they were falling down his cheeks now.

 

"Dad, would you like to try and show me some of that again?"

 

Tedros' eyes shot up and he laughed, clearing away a few of his own tears.

 

"No."

 

Axel's heart sank.

 

It was too late.

 

"I think I'd rather hear about the spells you've been working on."

 

Axel gaped at him and Tedros laughed.

 

"Come on," he said, putting an arm around Axel's shoulders and leading him out of the room.

 

Axel was already rambling on about the first spell, but for once he slowed down.

 

He explained it in more detail.

 

And soon Tedros was understanding.

 

And he was smiling at Axel like he always smiled at Theresa.

 

And it was at that moment that Axel realized something very important.

 

Tedros had always looked at Axel like that.

 

He just hadn't been paying attention.

 

Tedros pulled him to a stop after a moment and looked into his eyes, setting him hands on his shoulders and making Axel feel the weight behind the words he was about to speak.

 

"I'm proud of you, Axe. I'm proud of your dedication and your intelligence. And I'm proud of what you did at the Trial by Tale. That takes a real Ever and I couldn't be prouder to say you're my son."

 

Axel sniffled and Tedros wrapped an arm around him again.

 

"Keep telling me about that spell."

 

And by the time Axel had finished, they were at the armory.

 

His heart stopped.

 

Did...

 

Did he actually want to sword fight?!

 

Because Tedros has a sword in his hands.

 

"I know you don't like to use the sword, but I think you should at least hold this one," he said.

 

Axel frowned in confusion before his eyes landed on the blade.

 

He recognized it.

 

Excalibur.

 

He looked back at his father and Tedros grinned at him, just like Theresa did.

 

Axel took the sword with shaking hands.

 

"You're my son and you have the right to carry this sword, even though you don't know how to use it. Your mother always said that magic was more dangerous anyways."

 

Axel admire the blade in his hands.

 

A sword had never felt right in his hands.

 

It was always awkward and heavy and he had no idea how to use it.

 

But this one felt right.

 

That didn't mean he magically knew how to use it, but he felt right about what it represented.

 

After a minute, he handed it back to his father who had a proud look on his face.

 

Tedros turned and pulled something off the wall.

 

It was a blue jacket with the lions of Camelot on each arm.

 

Axel gaped at it.

 

Tedros smiled and settled it around Axel's shoulders.

 

Most coats didn't fit Axel and slid right off of him with ease.

 

But this one... he could tell it had been tailored for him.

 

"I had this one made for you specially about three days ago. Guess that's a good thing too."

 

Tedros wiped his eyes and laughed.

 

"I think I'm going to need another one to be made because Theresa sure isn't going to pry hers out of Amber's hands."

 

Axel laughed and wiped his eyes with his palm.

 

Tedros sheathed Excalibur and was back to walking beside Axel.

 

His son was talking about a spell and his brain was working overtime to understand what he was saying.

 

But for once Axel was making sure Tedros understood.

 

And Tedros could ask a question without Axel thinking he was making fun of him.

 

It was one of the best moments of his life.

 

~

 

Agatha and Theresa watched from afar, both grinning at the two boys.

 

Agatha went to wrap her arm around Theresa's shoulders, but she realized that her daughter was too tall for her to do that.

 

It left a pang in her heart.

 

She was growing up far too fast.

 

But she put an arm around Theresa's waist.

 

Theresa leaned down despite the height difference and put her head on her mother's shoulder.

 

Somethings never changed, it seemed.

 

~

 

"Do you really like this... this princess?" Hester asked.

 

"Her name is Theresa."

 

Hester sighed.

 

"Do you really like Theresa?"

 

Amber nodded, clutching bag around the straps that were sling over her shoulders.

 

Inside the bag, she knew she'd find the coat belonging to Camelot's heir.

 

Hester looked like she was chewing rocks.

 

"Fine."

 

Amber smiled thinly at her mother and then turned around.

 

Hilda was grumbling under her breath.

 

"Just don't be so affectionate."

 

Amber pushed her.

 

"I'll do whatever I want."

 

Hilda was suddenly grinning.

 

"There's the Amber I know!"

 

Both girls were laughing.

 

Dot, Kiko, and Dede saw that the family of four was more relaxed and joined them as they raked down the road.

 

"I still can't believe we didn't get to go to the Ball...," Dede said with a sigh.

 

"You'll go this year at school," Hester pointed out.

 

"Yeah, but...," Dede trailed off and shook her head.

 

"You're right. It doesn't matter."

 

All four parents exchanged a look and Hester sighed.

 

"Fine," she whispered in Anadil's ear.

 

The albino smiled at her wife.

 

"I think I left something at the castle," Kiko said before turning and jogging back.

 

Both Covens exchanged looks.

 

The young Coven was wondering what the girl could be doing while the older wondered if it was a good idea to leave Kiko in charge of this.

 

~

 

Kiko arrived at the castle out of breath but with a mission.

 

She hurried to Agatha.

 

"I need some carrier pigeons."

 

Agatha raised an eyebrow, but she led her friend to them anyways.

 

On the way Kiko told her about the plan.

 

Agatha was grinning by the end and she helped Kiko write the letters.

 

~

 

Each of the families got a letter, including Hester and Anadil.

 

Thy exchanged a look before opening it up.

 

"Do we have to set up the decorations?" Hester moaned.

 

Anadil shoved her.

 

"It's for Amber. And Hilda, but mostly Amber."

 

"Fine."

 

Anadil nodded and quickly wrote a response on the back of the first letter before sending the bird on its way.

 

~

 

"Why am I in charge of music?!" Sophie moaned.

 

"Because you're the only one that listens to the cheesy romance music!" Anadil growled.

 

"Why exactly isn't Tedros helping?" Beatrix griped.

 

"Because he and his son are spending time together," Agatha snapped.

 

"Why exactly should I care?" Ravan asked.

 

"Because your kid will love this," Hort said with a warning look.

 

Ravan grumbled and went back to work.

 

"Sophie, that song is inappropriate," Nicola said.

 

She'd been moderating her wife while simultaneously putting up decorations.

 

It was a talent only someone married to Sophie could have.

 

~

 

The kids were all back in the garden, having been dropped off by their parents while they did something vague but still important.

 

They were forbidden from coming inside.

 

Theresa was sharpening her sword while Amber tried to pretend she wasn't impressed by the girl's skill.

 

"What do you think they're doing in there?" Hilda asked.

 

"Probably trying to come up with a punishment," Nathan said nervously.

 

Theresa sheathed her sword and set the sheath on the ground.

 

"They're not punishing us."

 

Everyone looked at her.

 

"They're not! They're probably just talking about the book. Maybe complaining about how this is going to make them popular again."

 

Amber and Hilda snickered.

 

"Our moms complain about that all the time," Hilda said.

 

Amber nodded in agreement with an eye roll.

 

"I just hope people at school won't read it," Dede said nervously.

 

Whether they showed it or not, everyone was a bit uncomfortable with the idea of their new classmates reading about them.

 

"I'm sure it'll be okay," Serenity said.

 

Dede shrugged noncommittally.

 

Theresa stretched out on the ground and Serenity fell back on her.

 

"Seriously?! This again?!"

 

Milly was laying on her shoulder, which made Amber glare at her darkly.

 

Hilda also glanced at Milly with an unreadable expression on her face.

 

"Don't be jealous, Amber. She's just a pillow," Serenity said as she pulled out a fairytale and started reading it.

 

Amber considered before she laid down and put her head on Theresa's stomach beside Serenity.

 

The princess squawked and stared at everyone else for help.

 

Even her girlfriend wouldn't help her!

 

Amber moved closer and Theresa couldn't let herself be upset with the other girl being so close.

 

~

 

"Are we ready?" Agatha asked as she looked around the room with a smile on her face.

 

"I think so," Nicola said giving everything one last look.

 

"Sophie, tell me you didn't add that song," Nicola said without looking over her shoulder.

 

Sophie gaped at her.

 

"How did you even know that?!"

 

"I doesn't matter. What matters is that you remove it."

 

Sophie sighed and grumbled under her breath before removing the song.

 

Nicola nodded.

 

"Yup. I'm pretty sure we're ready," Nicola said with a smile.

 

"Go get them then, Hes," Agatha said

 

"Why does she get to tell them?" Kiko whined.

 

"Because you'd laugh and end up telling them before they even got here," Hester pointed out as she walked out.

 

~

 

Axel ran his hand along the hem of the coat reverently, a smile on his face.

 

Tedros smiled and led Axel to the garden.

 

"Wait here for a bit?"

 

Axel frowned in confusion, but he nodded anyways.

 

Tedros headed inside and a few minutes later Hester came outside.

 

She had her normal blank face.

 

"Come with me. We're done talking," she said before turning on her heel and striding out of the garden.

 

The kids scrambled to follow after her.

 

What they saw would shock them.


	47. Chapter 47

Hester pushed open the double doors to the ballroom and all of them stopped.

 

In front of them was...

 

Well, it was hard to explain.

 

There were streamers and banners on one side. That side was dark and black, the lights on it's half completely off.

 

On the other side there was a chandelier and a punch bowl as well as a clean dancing floor.

 

It was clearly supposed to be a Ball... though somehow it portrayed both the No Ball and the Snow Ball simultaneously.

 

Everyone gaped.

 

"I know it isn't the same... but we thought it would be worth a shot," Agatha said with a grin.

 

In the background, a slow romantic song started to play.

 

Amber glanced at her parents and then at Theresa.

 

Anadil had a small, encouraging smile on her lips while Hester had an expression that meant "if you must."

 

Theresa was beaming at her and she held out a hand.

 

"Care to dance?"

 

Amber's heart was hammering in her chest, but she made herself nod.

 

She put her hand in Theresa's and the other girl pulled her out onto the dance floor with a grin.

 

She put one hand on Amber's waist and gripped the witch's hand with her other one.

 

Amber awkwardly put her other hand on Theresa's shoulder as her mother (Anadil, of course) had taught her once.

 

He two swayed for a while before Theresa got a devious glint in her pristine blue eyes.

 

Amber opened her mouth to object to whatever the other girl had in mind, but it was too late.

 

Theresa leaned forward and Amber's eyes fluttered shut in anticipation of a kiss...

 

But instead the world twisted in front of her and Theresa was leaning over her, holding onto her around the waist and smirking.

 

"You really do look stunning, even without a dress."

 

Amber blushed.

 

The song ended and a moment later a more... intense song came on.

 

Amber smirked and she led Theresa to the No Ball side of the room, already putting her hands on Theresa's shoulders and pulling her down.

 

They didn't exactly slow dance.

 

The others were joining in now, dancing on their own or beside friends.

 

Hilda, however, shook her head and crossed her arms, standing and leaning against the wall.

 

Milly rolled her eyes and ran up to the other girl, grabbing onto her hand.

 

"Come on! It's a party!"

 

She pulled the blushing Never onto the dance floor and was already dancing beside her.

 

The next song played and Theresa twirled Amber back to the Snow Ball side.

 

It wasn't a slow song exactly and somehow not a fast song, leaving an in between space that allowed none couples to dance beside them.

 

Tedros held out his hand, grinning.

 

"Shall we?" he asked with a twinkle in his blue eyes.

 

Agatha grinned and took his hand, letting him lead her out despite her aversion to dancing.

 

"Nicola of Woods Beyond, I refuse to be upstaged by that fool of a prince and that princess with two left feet!"

 

Nicola raised an eyebrow as her wife came up to her.

 

"You mean the King of Camelot and your sister?"

 

"Same difference," Sophie said as she took Nicola's hand and grinned, leading her onto the dance floor.

 

Dede felt an awkward Nathan bump into her and she almost fell.

 

But Serenity was there, catching her in the perfect dip just as the music dictated it.

 

Dede felt her breath catch as Serenity laughed, not seeming to care about the rather unprofessional job they'd down with the decorations or Dede almost knocking both them over.

 

Serenity was beaming.

 

Her green eyes sparkled and she threw her head back in laughter as she helped Dede to her feet.

 

Once she had, she twirled across the dance floor with grace she'd inherited from Sophie.

 

She almost hit a still bumbling Nathan.

 

She laughed and shook her head, putting a hand on his shoulder.

 

"No, no, it's like this," she said before putting his hand on her waist and leading him through the rest of the song.

 

When it ended, Serenity let go and joined everyone as they went to the other side.

 

Theresa laughed and allowed Amber to show her how she was supposed to dance to Never music.

 

It looked like she was a dog trying get fleas off, but she just grinned and continued dancing with Amber.

 

Dot and Kiko were slow dancing to the fast paced song in the corner and both laughed delightedly.

 

It didn't matter that they weren't matching the tempo and that Dot kept accidentally stepping on Kiko's toes.

 

The Ever corrected her every time and her eyes shown with nothing but joy.

 

Hester had been dragged onto the dance floor by Anadil and the albino was trailing a hand on the other witch's tattoo just as she had when they were in school.

 

Hester never could figure out why she always did that, but she smiled anyways and allowed her wife to play with her red-streaked hair as well.

 

Hort and Ravan joined in awkwardly, both stepping on each other's toes in the process.

 

Beatrix and Reena waited for the next Snow Ball song to start up, but then they were slow dancing like pros, easily showing off.

 

After a few more songs, someone got competitive.

 

Or maybe everyone, but that didn't matter.

 

What mattered is that whenever a Snow Ball song came on, each couple tried to out do the others.

 

Tedros and Agatha lost when Tedros tried to twirl her and Agatha freaked out.

 

Sophie and Nicola were doing well until Sophie tried to dip Nicola and dropped her, making the younger girl curse at her.

 

Hort and Ravan were eliminated almost immediately.

 

Kiko and Dot decided they would much rather just dance for the fun of it and have a good time together.

 

Hester and Anadil were eliminated because both thought they were above such Ever traditions and instead started making out in the corner.

 

Milly had sulked in the corner and said she wanted a partner to dance with.

 

Axel had offered as well as Nathan, but she had given them long looks before laughing and saying they danced as well as their parents (clearly meaning Agatha for Axel).

 

Hilda didn't dance.

 

It wasn't her style.

 

It just wasn't.

 

And yet...

 

And yet when Milly glanced at her with those elusive gray eyes...

 

Well, she found herself doing the unimaginable.

 

She pushed herself off the wall and strode over.

 

"You've got one dance."

 

Milly grinned and grabbed onto her hand.

 

"I'm leading!" Milly called and Hilda's eyes widened.

 

"Wait that wasn't part of the deal!"

 

Milly didn't seem to care and she grinned, taking Hilda's hand in her own and putting a hand on her waist.

 

Her gray eyes were alight with excitement and anticipation.

 

Hilda found that she couldn't look away and she swallowed.

 

"Just follow my lead and we're sure to do great."

 

Hilda went to object, but with the other girl's eyes so alight with passion...

 

Well, Hilda found she physically couldn't.

 

Especially considering the way her hand tingled where Milly held it and how her head was buzzing with excitement.

 

Milly has learned to dance from Beatrix, who had easily been the best dancer in their year.

 

So, needless to say, she was good.

 

She was good enough that she could easily switch from following to leading Hilda through the steps.

 

Hilda knew enough not to step on Milly's toes and that seemed to be enough considering the way Milly led her through the dance.

 

Hilda had never been spun before, but Milly did it no problem and even dipped her when she came back, making Hilda's throat go dry and her heart hammer in her chest.

 

Serenity was also looking for a partner to dance with and her eyes landed on Nathan after a moment.

 

The Never blushed and gathered his confidence, walking up and preparing to ask Serenity.

 

But Dede was there.

 

"Hey, Ser, wanna show them how to really dance?" she asked.

 

Nathan gaped as Serenity grinned.

 

Dede led her onto the dance floor and Serenity put a hand on her waist, making Dede feel...

 

Weird.

 

Axel and Nathan slumped against the wall, knowing they'd lose the somewhat unspoken competition without better partners.

 

So that left four pairs.

 

Beatrix and Reena, Theresa and Amber, Serenity and Dede, and Milly and Hilda.

 

Milly preformed another perfect dip while other cheered.

 

Hilda let out a gasp at the action and tried not to freak out when her head almost touched the ground.

 

Beatrix and Reena had the most experience and Reena easily took the dip better than Hilda had.

 

Theresa and Amber were both smiling, though Theresa was beaming while Amber was smiling thinly.

 

The princess pulled the witch close and whispered in her ear.

 

"Do you trust me?"

 

Amber nodded, flashing back to the Trial by Tale when she had asked her the same exact thing.

 

Theresa grinned and, for the second time after asking that question, three Amber.

 

The first time it had been to a pack of stymphs and this time it was straight into the air.

 

Theresa caught her and grinned, going right into a dip and then placing her back down, going back to their swaying.

 

Amber felt her heart beating out of her chest in a delayed reaction to the throw.

 

Beatrix and Reena gaped while Hilda and Milly were a bit too distracted to have noticed.

 

"I think we have a winner!" Tedros called.

 

Beatrix mumbled about favoritism and Reena rolled her eyes, putting a hand on Beatrix's arm.

 

Milly and Hilda finally tore their eyes away from each other and looked around to see Theresa and Amber still dancing slowly.

 

The two pulled apart, blushing.

 

Serenity had seen the throw and was clapping, cheering on her cousin excitedly and going to congratulate her.

 

She didn't notice she shellshocked look on Dede's face as she watched the Ever go.

 

What had just happened?!

 

Amber shoved Theresa.

 

"I didn't agree to you throwing me!"

 

"You said you trusted me," Theresa said with a grin.

 

"And we won!"

 

Amber rolled her eyes, but she didn't break away as they swayed to the slow song.

 

"You're not too bad at dancing," Milly said with a smirk.

 

Hilda rolled her eyes.

 

"Please, you did everything."

 

She tried not to focus on when the other girl had dipped her and her blond hair with natural brown highlights had dangled right in front of her face...

 

She blushed and looked away from Milly's gray eyes that had her locked in her gaze.

 

Serenity went to the No Ball side for the next fast song and Nathan was right beside her.

 

Dede frowned and moved a bit closer.

 

"I didn't know you were such a good dancer," she said.

 

Serenity glanced over at her and grinned..

 

"What do you expect from Sophie of Woods Beyond's daughter?"

 

Dede giggled and nodded, guessing she had a fair point.

 

Anadil put head head on Hester's shoulder despite the fast song, her hands still around her neck.

 

Hester gave a her a small smile and pulled her closer.

 

"I remember this night," she said.

 

"Our fourth year and our fourth date."

 

"Who would have thought it would be our kids that brought us together in the first place.

 

Hester rolled her eyes and shook her head.

 

"I don't believe that for a second."

 

Anadil raised an eyebrow and waited for her to elaborate.

 

"I would fall in love with you anyways. No matter how we met or how our lives went. They just sped up the realization a bit."

 

Anadil blushed and pulled her closer.

 

"You never were good at emotions."

 

"Nope," Hester said as she connected their lips.

 

Theresa pulled Amber closer.

 

"Next year's going to be crazy," she muttered.

 

Amber raised an eyebrow.

 

"Don't you mean next week?"

 

Theresa grimaced and nodded her head.

 

"But I know one thing," the princess whispered.

 

"What's that?" the witch responded.

 

"It'll be great with you by my side."


End file.
